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Form  No.  513 

EEV.  NOAH   DAVIS, 

PASTOR  OF   THE 

Saratoga  Street  African  Baptist  Church, 
BALTIMORE. 


NOTICE  TO  THE  PUBLIC. 


The  object  of  the  writer,  in  preparing  this  account  of  him- 
self, is  to 

RAISE  SUFFICIENT  MEANS  TO  FREE  HIS  LAST 
TWO  CHILDREN  FROM  SLAVERY. 

Having  already,  within  twelve  years  past,  purchased  him- 
self, his  wife,  and  five  of  his  children,  at  a  cost,  altogether, 
of  over  four  thousand  dollars,  he  now  earnestly  desires  a 
humane  and  christian  public  to 

AID  HIM  IN  THE  SALE  OF  THIS  BOOK, 

for  the  purpose  of  finishing  the  task  in  which  he  has  so  long 
and  anxiously  labored. 

God  has  blessed  him  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  not 
only  by  granting  freedom  to  him  and  so  large  a  portion  of 
his  family,  but  by  giving  him  the  hope  of  the  gospel,  and 
permitting  him  to  preach  that  gospel  among  his  own  people 
—in  which  calling  he  has  been  engaged  for  about  twenty- 
five  years. 


THE    SARATOGA   STREET 


AFRICAN    BAPTIST   CHAPEL 


The  building,  of  which  the  above  cut  is  an  imperfect  rep- 
resentation, fronts  as  above  100  feet  on  Saratoga  street,  and 
46  feet  on  Calvert  street.  The  house  is  of  brick,  and  cost 
over  $18,000.— (See  page  45.) 


NARRATIVE^ 


-: 


OF 


THE  LIFE  / 

OF 

REV.  NOAH  DAVIS, 


A   COLORED  MAN. 


WRITTEN  BY  HIMSELF,  AT  THE  AGE  OF  FIFTY-FOUR. 


PRINTED  SOLELY  FOR  THE  AUTHOR'S  BENEFIT. 


PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  F.  WEISHAMPEL,  JR., 

No.  484  West  Baltimore  St. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859, 
by  Noah  Davis,  in  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court 
of  Maryland. 

STEREOTYPED   BY 

JOHN  F.  WEISHAMPEL,  JR.,  BOOKSELLER  AND  PUBLISHER, 

BALTIMORE. 


Contents 


CHAPTER  I. 

Early  Life  in  Virginia — Example  of  Pious  Parents. 

CHAPTER  II. 

Apprenticed  to  the  Shoe-making — Learns  housework — In- 
temperance— "A  negro  can't  be  trusted  " — Learning  how- 
to  write  and  cipher. 

CHAPTER  III. 

Religious  Experience — Conviction  and  Conversion. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Marriage — License  to  Preach — Purchase  of  Freedom — 
Call  to  Baltimore. 

CHAPTER  V. 

Experience  in  Baltimore — Education — Purchase  of  a  Wife 
and  two  Children — Great  Distress  of  Mind — Generous  As- 
sistance— Church  Matters. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

A  New  Movement  in  Baltimore — Erection  of  a  Meeting 
House  for  the  African  Baptist  Church — Heavy  Indebtedness 
— Account  of  the  Enterprise. 

CHAPTER  V.  :. 
Account  of  a  Visit  to  the  northern  Cities — True  Friends. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Conclusion — Object  of  this  Book. 


548351 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/narrativeoflifeodavi 


NARRATIVE. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Early  Life  in  Virginia— Example  of  Pious  Parents. 

I  was  born  a  slave,,  in  Madison  county, Vir- 
ginia, March,  1804.  My  father,  John  Davis, 
and  his  family,  belonged  to  Kobert  Patten, 
Esqv  a  wealthy  merchant,  residing  in  Fred- 
ericksburg— who  was  also  owner,  in  connec- 
tion with  Mr.  John  Thorn,  of  a  large  merchant 
mill,  located  on  "  Crooked  Kun,"  a  stream 
running  between  Madison  and  Culpepper 
counties.  My  father  was  the  head  miller 
in  that  large  establishment,  in  which  respon- 
sible station  he  was  much  respected. 

There  I  was  born,  and  remained  until  I 
was  twelve  years  old.  Mr.  Patten  was  al- 
ways considered  one  of  the  best  of  masters, 
allowing  his  servants  many  privileges ;  but 
my  father  enjoyed  more  than  many  others. 
Both  he  and  my  mother  were  pious  members 
of  a  Baptist  church,  and  from  their  godly  ex- 
ample,  I  formed  a  determination,  before  I 


10  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

had  readied  my  twelfth  year,  that  if  I  was 
spared  to  hecome  a  man,  I  would  try  to  he  as 
good  as  my  parents.  My  father  could  read  a 
little,  and  make  figures,  hut  could  scarcely 
write  at  all.  His  custom,  on  those  Sahhaths 
when  we  remained  at  home,  was  to  spend  his 
time  in  instructing  his  children,  or  the  neigh- 
boring servants,  out  of  a  New  Testament, 
sent  him  from  Fredericksburg  by  one  of  his 
older  sons.  I  fancy  I  can  see  him  now,  sitting 
under  his  bush  arbor,  reading  that  precious 
book  to  many  attentive  hearers  around  him. 

Such  was  the  esteem  I  had  for  my  pious 
father,  that  I  have  kept  that  blessed  book  ev- 
er since  his  death,  for  his  sake ;  and  it  was 
the  first  New  Testament  I  read,  after  I  felt 
the  pardoning  love  of  God  in  my  soul. 

My  father  died,  August  20,  1826,  aged  60 
years.  My  mother,  Jane  Davis,  at  the  death 
of  my  father,  removed  from  the  farm,  where 
my  father  died,  and  spent  the  remainder  of 
her  days  in  Fredericksburg,  with  her  chil- 
dren. She  lived  to  good  old  age,  and  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus,  Dec.  24,  1831. 

My  father  had  been  allowed  to  keep  a  cow 
and  horse,  for  his  own  use ;  and  to  raise  and 
feed  his  hogs  and  poultry  from  the  mill. — 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  11 

He  had  the  privilege  of  keeping  his  children 
with  him,  until  they  were  old  enough  to  put 
out  to  such  trades  as  they  might  choose.  I 
had  several  brothers  and  one  sister.  Two  of 
my  brothers,  one  older,  the  other  younger 
than  myself,  lived  with  our  parents,  at  this 
place.  My  oldest  brother  worked  in  the  mill, 
with  my  father,  while  my  youngest  brother 
and  I  did  little  else  than  play  about  home, 
and  wait  upon  our  mother.  I  had  several 
playmates,  besides  my  brothers,  and  among 
them  were  the  sons  of  Col.  Thorn,  and  the 
servant  boys  who  stayed  at  his  house.  Al- 
though many  years  have  passed  away  since, 
it  gives  me  pleasure,  even  now,  to  recollect 
the  happy  seasons  I  enjoyed  with  the  play- 
mates of  my  childhood. 

But  this  pleasant  state  of  things  was  not 
to  continue  long.  The  owners  of  the  mill 
and  farm  concluded  to  sell  out  the  whole  con- 
cern. My  father  and  his  family  then  re- 
moved to  another  farm,  belonging  to  our  own- 
er, located  in  Culpeper  county,  near  Stevens- 
burg.  Here  I  remained  nearly  two  years, 
working,  part  of  the  time,  with  a  carpenter, 
who  was  building  a  summer  residence  for  my 
master;  and  the  rest  of  the  time,  assisting 


12  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

my  father  to  cultivate  as  much  ground  as  he 
and  his  family  could  tend.  Here  I  learned 
something  of  a  farmer's  life.  The  overseer, 
Mr.  Daniel  Brown,  had  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing one  of  the  best  overseers  in  the  county. 
But  my  father's  family  was  not  put  under 
him  further  than  for  his  protection ;  for  af- 
4  ter  our  owner  sold  the  mill,  he  set  my  pa- 
rents free,  and  allowed  them  to  maintain 
themselves,  by  cultivating  as  much  ground 
on  the  farm  as  they  needed. 

Sometimes  my  father  would  leave  his  little 
place  in  charge  of  my  brother  Robert  and  my- 
self, and  would  hire  himself  to  work  in  some 
mill,  or  go  peddling  poultry,  vegetables,  &c, 
at  some  of  the  market  places  around. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Apprenticed  to  the  shoe-making — Learns  housework — In- 
temperance— UA  negro  can't  be  trusted" — Learning  how 
to  write  and  cipher. 

In  December,  1818,  for  the  first  time  in 
my  life,  I  left  my  parents,  to  go  a  distance 
from  home ;  and  I  was  sad  at  the  thought  of 
parting  with  those  whom  I  loved  and  rever- 
enced more  than  any  persons  on  earth.  But 
the  expectation  of  seeing  Fredericksburg,  a 
place  which,  from  all  I  had  then  learned,  I 
supposed  must  be  the  greatest  place  in  the 
worlds  reconciled  me  somewhat  with  the  ne- 
cessity of  saying  Good-bye  to  the  dear  ones 
at  home.  I  arrived  at  Fredericksburg,  after 
a  day  and  a  half's  travel,  in  a  wagon — a  dis- 
tance of  some  fifty  miles.  Having  arrived  in 
town,  a  boy  green  from  the  country,  I  was 
astonished  and  delighted  at  what  appeared 
to  me  the  splendor  and  beauty  of  the  place. 
I  spent  a  merry  Christmas  at  my  old  master's 
stately  mansion,  along  with  my  older  broth- 
er, and  for  a  while  forgot  the  home  on  the 
farm. 

But  soon,  another  home  was  selected  for 


14  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

me,  where  I  might  learn  a  trade,  and  as  I 
preferred  the  boot  and  shoe-making,  I  was 
put  to  Mr.  Thomas  Wright,  a  man  of  ster- 
ling integrity,  who  was  considered  the  best 
workman  in  the  whole  town.  'Here  I  had  an 
older  brother  living,  which  was  some  induce- 
ment for  my  going  to  live  with  Mr.  Wright. 
I  was  bound,  to  serve  until  I  should  be  twen- 
ty-one years  old.  This  was  in  January,  1819. 
Upon  entering  with  Mr.  Wright,  I  learned 
that  the  colored  boys  had  to  serve  one  year 
with  Mrs.  Wright,  in  the  house  and  kitchen. 
The  object  of  this  was  to  train  them  for  fu- 
ture usefulness,  when  called  from  the  shop, 
to  serve  as  waiters  or  cooks.  Mrs.  Wright 
was  a  good  manager,  and  a  very  particular 
housekeeper.  I  used  to  think  she  was  too 
particular.  But  I  have  learned  better  since. 
I  have  often  wished,  when  I  have  been  seek- 
ing homes  for  my  children,  that  I  could  find 
one  like  Mrs.  Wright.  She  would  spare  no 
pains  to  teach  her  servants  how  she  wanted 
her  work  clone;  and  then  she  would  spare 
no  pains  to  make  them  do  it.  I  have  often 
looked  back,  with  feelings  of  gratitude  and 
veneration,  to  that  pious  lady,  for  her  untir- 
ing perseverance  in  training  me  up  in  the 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  15 

way  I  should  go.  But  she  is  gone,  as  I  trust, 
to  receive  the  reward  of  righteousness,  in  a 
better  world. 

After  I  had  been  under  Mrs.  Wright's  spe- 
cial charge  the  first  year,  she  could  leave  me 
to  cook  a  dinner,  or  clean  the  house,  or  do 
anything  she  might  set  me  at,  without  her 
being  present.  I  was  now  considered  fit  to 
take  my  seat  among  the  hands  in  the  shop. 

Here  I  found  quite  a  new  state  of  things. 
The  shoemakers,  at  that  time,  in  Fredericks- 
burg, were  considered  the  most  intemperate 
of  any  class  of  men  in  the  place ;  and  as  the 
apprentice-boys  had  always  to  be  very  oblig- 
ing to  the  journeymen,  in  order  to  get  along 
pleasantly  with  them,  it  was  my  duty  to  be 
runner  for  the  shop ;  and  I  was  soon  trained 
how  to  bring  liquor  among  the  men  with 
such  secresy  as  to  prevent  the  boss,  who  had 
forbidden  it  to  come  on  the  premises,  from 
knowing  it. 

But,  in  those  days,  the  drinking  of  ardent 
spirits  was  a  common  practice,  even  among 
christians.  With  such  examples  all  around, 
I  soon  learned  the  habit  of  drinking,  along 
with  every  other  vile  habit  to  which  my  com- 
panions were  addicted.     It  was  true  in  my 


16  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

case,  that  "evil  communications  corrupt  good 
manners ;"  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  strict- 
ness with  which  my  boss  and  his  amiable  la- 
dy watched  over  me,  I  should  in  all  proba- 
bility have  become  a  confirmed  drunkard, 
before  my  time  was  out.  But  they  held  the 
reins  over  me,  and  kept  me  in,  until  I  had 
served  out  my  apprenticeship. 

I  can  say,  however,  that,  much  as  I  was  in- 
clined to  other  vices  and  sins,  Mr.  Wright 
readily  gave  me  a  recommendation  for  hon- 
esty, truthfulness,  and  goodness  of  character. 
In  fact,  he  had  felt  such  confidence  in  me, 
that  he  would  often  leave  his  shoe  store  in  my 
care,  when  he  would  have  to  go  to  the  north, 
for  a  supply  of  stock.  And  I  can  truly  say, 
that  I  never  deceived  him,  when  he  thus 
trusted  me.  Nothing  would  mortify  me  as 
much,  as  to  hear  it  said,  "  A  negro  can't  be 
trusted."  This  saying  would  always  nerve 
me  with  a  determination  to  be  trustivorthy . — 
If  I  was  trusted,  I  would  deserve  to  be  trust- 
ed. I  wanted  to  show  that  principle  was  not 
confined  to  color.  But  I  have  been  led  to 
look  at  it  since,  and  have  thought  that  per- 
haps it  was  more  pride  than  principle  in  me, 
at  that  time,  for  I  was  a  wicked  sinner. 


NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  17 

The  first  idea  I  ever  got  of  writing,  was 
from  trying  to  imitate  my  employer,  who 
used  to  write  the  names  of  his  customers  on 
the  lining  of  the  boots  and  shoes,  as  he  gave 
them  out  to  be  made.  So  I  tried  to  make  let- 
ters, and  soon  succeeded  in  writing  my  name, 
and  then  the  word  Fredericksburg,  and  so 
on.  My  father  had  previously  taught  me  the 
alphabet,  in  the  spelling  book,  before  I  had 
left  the  mill.  After  I  became  religious,  I 
would  carry  my  father's  New  Testament  to 
church,  and  always  try  to  get  to  meeting  in 
time  to  hear  the  preacher  read  a  chapter  be- 
fore sermon.  If  he  named  the  chapter  befove 
reading  it,  I  would  soon  find  it.  In  this  way, 
I  gathered  much  information  in  pronouncing 
many  hard  words  in  the  Scriptures. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  I  learned  the 
meaning  of  the  numeral  letters  put  in  the 
Bible  over  the  chapters.  I  had  often  seen 
them  in  the  spelling  book  running  alongside 
a  column  of  figures  ;  but  no  one  ever  told 
me  that  they  were  put  there  for  the  same  use 
as  the  figures. 


2* 


CHAPTER  III. 
Religious  Experience — Conviction — Conversion. 

Just  about  the  close  of  my  apprenticeship , 
and  as  I  began  to  feel  myself  a  man,  I  com- 
menced to  visit  the  girls,  which  induced  me 
go  still  more  frequently  to  church. 

At  that  time,  there  were  four  churches  in 
Fredericksburg.  The  colored  people  had 
apartments  for  worship  with  the  white  peo- 
ple, at  each  of  these  churches.  They  were 
Methodist,  Presbyterian,  Episcopalian  and 
Baptist. 

I  had  no  particular  preference  for  any  one 
of  these  denominations,  more  than  another  ; 
but,  went  wherever  my  favorites  went.  One 
night  a  young  lady  invited  me  to  go  to  the 
Methodist  church,  where  a  prayer-meeting 
was  to  be  held.  During  the  meeting,  a  ven- 
erable old  gentleman  rose  to  his  feet,  and  re- 
lated an  account  of  the  sudden  death  of  a 
young  lady,  which  he  had  read  in  a  news- 
papers. When  he  related  that  solemn  cir- 
cumstance, it  so  affected  me,  that  I  felt  as  if 
I  was  about  to  die,  in  a  sudden  manner  also. 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  19 

Having  always,  from  parental  training, 
purposed  in  my  mind  to  become  religious 
before  I  died,  I  thought  that  now  was  the 
time  to  begin  to  pray.  But  I  could  not  try 
to  pray  in  the  church,  for  I  was  afraid  that 
the  girls  would  laugh  at  me.  Yet  I  became 
so  troubled,  that  I  left  the  house,  girls  and 
all,  intending  to  seek  some  place  where  I 
might  pray.  But  to  my  horror  and  surprise, 
when  I  got  out  of  the  churchy  this  reflection 
occurred  to  me,  "God  is  in  heaven,  and  you 
are  on  earth: — how  can  He  hear  you?"  0, 
what  distress  of  mind  I  now  felt !  I  began  to 
wonder  how  God  could  hear  my  prayer ;  for, 
sure  enough,  He  was  in  heaven,  and  I  on  the 
earth.     In  my  perplexity,  I  started  for  home. 

Just  before  I  reached  the  shop,  where  I 
slept,  this  thought  struck  me,  if  possible  with 
more  force  than  the  former  reflection:  "God 
does  see  you  \"  It  really  appeared  to  me  as 
if  I  could  see  that  God  was  indeed  looking  at 
me  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  I  felt  that  He  had 
been  looking  at  me  all  my  life.  I  now  said 
to  myself,  "It  is  of  no  use  for  me  to  pray. — 
If  God  has  seen  all  my  wickedness,  as  I  feel 
that  He  has,  then  there  is  no  mercy  for  me." 

So  I  ran  to  my  lodging-place,  and  tried  to 


20  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

hide  myself  in  a  dark  room.  But  this  was 
useless ;  for  it  appeared  that  God  could  see 
me  in  the  dark,  as  well  as  in  the  light. 
.  I  now  felt  constrained  to  beg  for  mercy,  and 
spent  the  time  in  trying  to  obtain  pardon  for 
my  sins.  But  the  morning  came,  and  the 
hour  drew  near  for  the  hands  to  go  to  work, 
and  I  was  still  unhappy. 

I  felt  so  very  different  to  what  I  had  always 
felt,  that  I  tried  to  examine  my  impressions 
of  the  previous  night,  to  learn  if  it  was  true 
that  God  did  see  me  or  not ;  for  I  thought 
my  imagination  might  have  deceived  me. 

Up  to  this  time,  I  was  not  fully  convinced 
that  God  knew  all  about  me.  So  I  began  to 
study  about  the  matter.  As  I  sat  on  the 
shoe-bench,  I  picked  up  a  bunch  of  bristles, 
and  selecting  one  of  the  smallest,  I  began  to 
wonder,  if  God  could  see  an  object  so  small 
as  that.  No  sooner  had  this  inquiry  arose 
in  my  heart,  than  it  appeared  to  me,  that  the 
Lord  could  not  only  see  the  bristle,  but  that 
He  beheld  me,  as  plainly  as  I  saw  the  little 
object  in  my  hand ;  and  not  only  so,  but  that 
God  was  then  looking  through  me,  just  as  I 
would  hold  up  a  tumbler  of  clear  water  to  the 
sun  and  look  through  it.     This  was  enough. 


NARK  ATI  VE  OF  BEV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  21 

I  felt  that  I  must  pray,  or  perish  ;  and  now  I 
began  to  pray. 

But  it  really  seemed,  that  the  more  I  prayed 
the  less  hope  there  was  for  me.  Still  I  could 
not  stop  praying  ;  for  I  felt  that  God  was  an- 
gry with  me.  I  had  sinned  against  his  holy 
laws ;  and  now,  if  He  should  cut  me  off,  and 
send  me  to  hell,  it  was  hut  right.  These 
thoughts  followed  me  day  and  night,  for  five 
weeks,  before  I  felt  relief.  At  length,  one  day, 
while  sitting  on  my  shoe  bench,  I  felt  that 
my  time  had  come  when  I  must  die.  What 
troubled  me  most,  was  that  I  should  have  to 
appear  before  God,  in  all  my  sins ; — 0,  what 
horror  filled  my  soul  at  the  thought! 

I  began  to  wonder  what  I  must  do.  I  knew 
I  was  not  prepared  for  death  and  the  Judg- 
ment. It  is  true  that  two  of  my  shopmates,  at 
that  time,  were  members  of  the  church ;  but 
they  did  not  seem  to  care  for  my  soul.  All 
the  rest  of  the  hands  were  as  wicked  as  my- 
self. "  What  shall  I  do?''  was  in  my  mind, 
all  the  time  I  sat  at  work. 

The  reflection  occurred  to  me,  "Your  moth- 
er is  a  christian ;  it  may  be  she  can  save  you." 
But  this  suggestion  appeared  to  be  offensive  to 
God.     Then  came  another  thought, — "As 


22  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

my  master  was  a  rich,  man,  could  lie  not  do 
something  to  help  me?"  But  I  found  no  re- 
lief in  either.... and  while  I  sat  thus,  hoping 
and  praying,  light  broke  into  my  mind — all 
my  trouble  left  me  in  an  instant. 

I  felt  such  a  love  and  peace  flowing  in  my 
soul,  that  I  could  not  sit  longer ;  I  sprang  to 
my  feet,  and  cried  out,  "  Glory  to  God  I  ■ '  It 
seemed  to  me,  that  God,  whom  I  had  beheld, 
a  few  seconds  previously,  angry  with  me, 
was  now  well-pleased.  I  could  not  tell  why 
this  great  change  had  taken  place  in  me ;  and 
my  shopmates  were  surprised  at  my  conduct, 
saying,  that  I  must  be  getting  crazy.  But, 
just  at  this  moment,  the  thought  came  into 
my  mind,  that  I  was  converted ;  still,  as  I  felt 
so  very  different  from  what  I  had  expected  to 
feel,  I  could  not  see  how  that  could  be.  I 
concluded  to  run  and  see  my  mother,  and  ask 
her  how  people  felt,  when  they  got  converted. 
So  I  went,  right  away,  to  my  mother's  house, 
some  five  or  six  squares  from  the  shop. 

When  I  reached  the  door  of  her  house,  it 
appeared  to  me  that  everything  was  new  and 
bright.  I  went  in,  and  sat  down.  Mother 
askepl  me  how  I  was.  I  told  her,  I  felt  right 
smart.     This  was  a  new  sound  from  me ;  for 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  23 

my  answers  to  this  question  had  long  been — 
"poorly."  But  now  came  the  trial;  to  ask 
mother  how  people  felt,  when  they  were  con- 
verted. I  felt  ashamed  to  ask  the  question ; 
so  I  went  into  another  room ;  and  seeing  a 
hymn  hook  lying  on  the  table,  I  took  it  up. 
The  first  hymn  that  struck  my  sight  began 
with  these  words : 

"When  converts  first  begin  to  sing1, 

Their  happy  souls  are  on  the  wing — 

Their  theme  is  all  redeeming  love  ; 

Fain  would  they  be  with  Christ  above. 

With  admiration  they  behold 

The  love  of  Christ,  which  can't  be  told,"  &c. 

These  lines  expressed  my  feelings  precise- 
ly, and  being  encouraged  from  them,  I  went 
to  my  mother,  and  asked  her  the  question — 
"  How  do  people  feel,  when  they  get  convert- 
ed?" She  replied,  u  Do  you  think  you  are 
converted?"  Now,  this  was  a  severe  trial; 
for,  although  I  felt  that  I  was  really  changed, 
yet  I  wanted  to  hear  from  her,  before  I  could 
decide  whether  I  was  actually  converted,  or 
not.  I  replied,  "No."  Then  she  said,  "My 
son,  the  devil  makes  people  think  them- 
selves converted,  sometimes."     I  arose,  and 


24  NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

left  immediately,  believing  that  the  devil  had 
made  a  fool  of  me.  I  returned  to  my  shop, 
more  determined  to  pray  than  ever  before. 

I  arrived,  and  took  my  seat,  and  tried  to 
get  under  that  same  weight,  that  I  had  felt 
pressing  me  down,  but  a  short  while  before. 
But  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  not ;  and, 
instead  of  feeling  sad,  I  felt  joyful  in  my 
heart ;  and  while  trying  to  pray,  I  thought 
the  Saviour  appeared  to  me.  I  thought  I  saw 
God  smiling  upon  me,  through  Christ,  His 
Son.  My  soul  was  filled  with  love  to  God 
and  Jesus  Christ.  It  appeared  to  me,  I  saw 
a  fullness  in  Jesus  Christ,  *to  save  every  sin- 
ner who  would  come  to  Him.  And  I  felt,  that 
if  I  was  only  converted,  I  would  tell  all  sin- 
ners how  precious  the  Saviour  was.  But  I 
could  not  think  myself  converted  yet,  be- 
cause I  could  not  see  what  I  had  done,  for 
God  to  pardon  my  sins.  Still  I  felt  a  love 
to  Him  for  what  He  had  done  for  my  soul. 

Then  I  began  to  think  upon  my  shopmates 
— and,  0  what  pity  ran  through  my  soul  for 
them.  I  wished  to  pray  for  them ;  but  I  felt 
so  unworthy,  that  I  could  not  do  it.  At  last 
I  promised  the  Lord  that  if  He  would  convert 
my  soul,  I  would  talk  to  them. 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  25 

*  *  It  was  several  months  after  that,  before 
I  was  made  to  realize  this  to  be  the  work  of 
God ;  and  when  it  was  made  plain,  0  what 
joy  it  did  bring  to  my  poor  soul ! 

I  shortly  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church,  and  was  baptized,  in  company  with 
some  twenty  others,  by  Kev.  Geo.  F.  Adams, 
who  was  then  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Fredericksburg— September  19, 1831.  This 
church  then  contained  about  three  hundred 
colored  members. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Marriage — License  to  Preach — Purchase  of  Freedom — A 
Call  to  Baltimore. 

I  had  not  been  a  member  of  the  church  a 
great  while,  before  I  formed  an  attachment  to 
a  young  woman,  who  ultimately  became  my 
wife.  I  have  ever  regarded  her  as  the  special 
gift  of  God  to  me.  She  embraced  religion 
about  the  same  time  that  I  did.  We  had  been 
acquainted  with  each  other  for  several  years 
previous,  and  although  we  associated  fre- 
quently in  the  same  social  circle  together ; 
yet  nothing  of  a  special  liking  had  manifested 
itself  until  the  day  she  was  baptized. 
>  But  we  were  both  slaves,  and  of  course  had 
to  get  the  consent  of  our  owners,  before  we 
went  further.  My  wife  belonged  to  the  late 
Carter  L.  Stephenson,  Esq.,  who  was  a  broth- 
er to  Hon.  Andrew  Stephenson,  ofVa.  My 
wife's  master  was  quite  indulgent  to  the  ser- 
vants about  the  house.  He  never  restrained 
visitors  from  coming  on  his  premises  to  visit 
his  domestics.  It  was  said  he  had  the  likeliest 
set  of  servant  girls  in  the  town ;  and  though 


NARRATIVE  OP  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  27 

I  cannot  say  I  got  the  prettiest,  yet  I  think  I 
got  the  best  one  among  them.  We  have 
lived  happily  together,  as  husband  and  wife, 
for  the  last  twenty-eight  years.  We  have 
had  nine  children — seven  born  in  slavery,  and 
two  since  my  wife's  freedom.  Five  out  of  the 
seven  in  slavery  I  have  bought — two  are  still 
in  bondage. 

Before  long,  the  brethren  chose  me  to  fill 
the  office  of  a  deacon.  But  it  never  seemed 
to  me  to  be  the  place  that  God  designed  for 
me ;  though  I  felt  willing  to  do  whatever  lay 
in  my  power  for  God's  glory  and  the  good  of 
His  people.  The  impression  made  upon  my 
mind  at  my  conversion,  to  talk  to  sinners,  in- 
creased on  me,  until  I  could  wait  no  longer. 

I  related  my  convictions  of  duty  to  my 
brethren,  and  particularly  to  one  who  was  al- 
ways held  in  high  esteem  for  his  piety  and 
excellent  character — a  colored  brother,  Ar- 
mistead  Walker.  My  case  was  first  brought 
by  him  before  the  colored  portion  of  the 
church ;  and  after  a  full  hearing  of  my  state- 
ment, by  the  white  brethren,  with  regard  to 
my  call  to  preach,  &c,  I  was  licensed  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  exhort  sinners  to  re- 
pentance, as  opportunity  might  be  afforded. 


28  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

I  had  ample  opportunities  at  that  time,  for 
doing  good,  by  preaching  to  my  fellow  men, 
"both  in  town  and  country. 

Several  other  colored  brethren,  about  this 
time,  gave  evidence  of  having  been  called  of 
God,  to  the  work  of  preaching  the  gospel. 
Among  these  was  a  dear  brother,  named  Al- 
exander Daniel.  He  was  a  bright  and  shin- 
ing light,  among  our  people,  and  everything 
considered,  I  think  he  was  the  best  preacher 
of  color  I  ever  heard.  But  alas,  he  is  no 
more !  He  was  esteemed  as  a  christian  min- 
ister, and  his  friends,  both  white  and  col- 
ored, united  in  erecting  a  monument  over 
his  grave. 

In  my  attempts  to  preach  the  gospel  to  my 
fellow  sinners,  I  often  felt  embarrassed,  not 
knowing  how  to  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible 
correctly.  My  desires  now  increased  for  such 
a  knowledge  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  as  would 
enable  me  to  read  a  chapter  publicly  to  my 
hearers.  I  thought  that  if  I  had  all  my  time 
at  my  own  command,  I  would  devote  it  all  to 
divine  things.  This  desire  I  think,  led  me 
more  than  anything  else,  to  ask  permission 
of  my  master,  Dr.  F.  Patten,  to  purchase  my 
freedom.     I  made  this  a  subject  of  prayer, 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  29 

both  night  and  day,  that  God  would  show 
me  what  he  would  have  me  do.  I  felt  en- 
couraged to  hope  that  I  should  find  favor 
with  my  owner,  as  he  had  always  treated  me 
kindly.  But  how  shall  I  get  the  purchase 
money,  provided  he  grants  my  request?  — 
This  appeared  a  difficult  matter,  but  I  thought 
if  my  master  would  give  me  a  chance,  that  I 
should  be  able  to  raise  the  money. 

I  went  to  him,  and  stated  my  wishes,  in- 
forming him  why  I  wanted  to  be  free — that  f 
I  had  been  led  to  believe  the  Lord  had  con- 
verted my  soul,  and  had  called  me  to  talk  to 
sinners.  He  granted  my  request,  without  a 
single  objection,  fixing  my  price  at  five  hun- 
dred dollars. 

But  now  I  had  to  tell  him  that  I  had  no 
money,  and  that  I  desired  him  to  grant  me 
another  request ;  which  was,  to  let  me  travel 
and  find  friends,  who  would  give  me  the 
money.  After  learning  my  wishes  fully,  he 
consented,  and  told  me,  when  I  got  ready  to 
start,  he  would  give  me  a  pass,  to  go  where  I 
pleased. 

I  thanked  him  sincerely  for  this  privilege, 
and  after  making  arrangements,  in  the  way 
of  obtaining  suitable  letters  of  recommenda- 


30  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

tion,  I  left  Fredericksburg,  in  June,  1845, 
for  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Boston,  &c. 

After  spending  nearly  four  months  in  visit- 
ing the  northern  cities,  I  returned  home,  with 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  greatly 
disheartened. 

Previous  to  going  north,  I  had  raised  about 
a  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  which  I  had  al- 
ready paid  on  my  debt. 

The  cause  of  my  failure  to  raise  all  the  mo- 
ney, I  believe,  was  that  I  was  unaccustomed 
to  addressing  large  congregations  of  stran- 
gers; and  often,  when  I  was  favored  with  an 
opportunity  of  presenting  my  case  to  the  peo- 
ple, I  would  feel  such  embarrassment  that  I 
could  scarcely  say  anything.  And  I  met  an- 
other obstacle,  which  discouraged  me  very 
much ;  which  was,  that  some  persons  would 
tell  me  they  sympathized  with  me,  in  my  ef- 
forts to  get  free ;  but  they  said  it  was  against 
their  principles  to  give  money,  to  buy  slaves. 
I  confess,  this  was  new  to  me,  and  would 
cut  me  down  much  in  my  spirits — still  I 
found  generous  and  noble-hearted  friends? 
who  treated  me  with  every  mark  of  kindness. 

I  began  to  wonder  to  myself,  whether  God 
was  in  this  matter,  or  not;  and  if  so,  why  I 


NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  31 

had  not  succeeded.  However,  having  re- 
turned home,  I  went  to  work  at  my  trade, 
for  the  purpose  of  earning  the  remainder  of 
the  money.  Having  paid  what  I  was  able, 
toward  my  debt,  and  reserving  enough  to 
open  a  shop,  upon  my  own  account,  my  old 
boss,  Mr.  Wright,  my  true  andconstantfriend, 
became  my  protector,  so  that  I  might  carry  on 
my  business  lawfully.  In  this,  however,  I  was 
not  very  successful ;  but  I  had  not  been  long 
engaged  at  it,  before  I  received  a  communica- 
tion from  my  white  Baptist  friends  in  Balti- 
more, through  my  pastor,  Rev.  Sam'l  Smith, 
informing  me  that  if  I  would  come  to  Balti- 
more, and  accept  an  appointment  as  mission- 
ary to  the  colored  people  of  that  city,  they 
would  assist  me  in  raising  the  balance  of  the 
money  then  due  upon  myself. 

This  was  indeed  an  unexpected,  and  to  me 
an  undesired  call.  I  began  to  think,  how 
can  I  leave  my  wife  and  seven  small  children, 
to  go  to  Baltimore  to  live,  a  distance  of  more 
than  a  hundred  miles  from  them.  This,  I 
thought,  could  not  be.  I  thought  my  chil- 
dren would  need  my  watchful  care,  more  now 
than  at  any  other  time.  It  is  true,  they  were 
all  slaves,  belonging  to  a  rich  widow  lady. 


32  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

But  she  had  always  given  me  the  entire  con- 
trol of  my  family.  Now,  if  I  should  leave 
them  at  their  tender  age,  mischief  might  be- 
fall them.  Still,  as  the  letter  from  Baltimore 
was  from  gentlemen  of  the  best  standing,  it 
became  me  to  give  them  an  answer.  This  I 
could  not  do,  without  first  consulting  my 
master.  I  did  so,  and  after  giving  the  mat- 
ter a  careful  consideration,  he  thought  I  had 
better  go  and  see  those  gentlemen — he  was 
perfectly  willing  to  leave  the  matter  to  me. 

The  result  was,  that  I  accepted  the  offer 
of  the  brethren  in  Baltimore ;  and  by  them  I 
was  enabled  to  pay  the  debt  I  owed ;  and  I 
have  never  had  cause  to  repent  it — though  I 
had  misgivings  sometimes,  when  I  would  get 
into  trouble. 

But  I  have  found  those  who  were  my  friends 
at  first,  are  my  friends  still.  In  a  few  weeks 
after  I  had  arrived  in  Baltimore,  (1847,)  the 
white  Baptists  who  were  favorable  to  the  mis- 
sion in  behalf  of  the  colored  people.,  secured 
for  me  an  appointment  as  missionary  of  the 
Domestic  Board  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Con- 
vention, in  connection  with  the  Maryland 
Baptist  Union  Association.  I  now  felt  a  debt 
of  gratitude  to  these  dear  friends,  that  I  could 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  33 

not  show  more  acceptably  to  them,  than  by- 
engaging  heartily  in  the  work  to  which  I  had 
been  thus  called.  I  went  to  work,  first,  by 
hiring  a  room  in  a  private  house,  where  I 
would  collect  what  few  children  I  could  get 
together,  in  a  Sabbath  school.  I  continued 
in  this  place  for  nearly  a  year,  teaching  the 
little  children,  and  preaching  to  a  few  grown 
persons,,  who  would  come  in  at  times  to  hear 
what  this  Baptist  man  had  to  say ;  and  who, 
after  satisfying  their  curiosity,  would  gen- 
erally leave  me.  During  my  stay  in  this  lo- 
cality, I  could  not  jfind  half  a  dozen  colored 
Baptists,  who  would  take  hold  with  me  in 
this  missionary  enterprise.  There  were  some 
few  attached  to  the  white  churches  ;  but  only 
two  of  those  showed  any  disposition  to  help 
me  in  this  great  and  good  work.  I  found 
that  everybody  loved  to  go  with  the  multi- 
tude, and  it  was  truly  up-hill  work  with  me. 
I  found  some  who  are  called  ^tJ-Mission,-  pr 
Old  School  Baptists^  who,  when^^c^lledjip- 
on  them,  would  ask  of  whaj  faith  I  was^-— 
and  when  Ijould  reply,  that  I  belonged  to 
whatjjmderstood  to  be  the  Eegular  Baptists  ? 
they  would  answer^j c  Then  you  are  not  of 
our  faith  "  &g» 


34  NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

Now  I  felt  lonely  indeed,  separated  far 
from  home^  from  family,  from  dear  brethren 
and  friends ;  thrown  among  strangers  in  a 
strange  place.  Those  I  came  to  benefit,  stood 
aloof  from  me,  and  seemed  to  look  upon  all 
my  movements  with  distrust  and  suspicion, 
and  opposed  to  all  I  was  trying  to  do  for  the 
moral  and  spiritual  benefit  of  our  degraded 
race.  But,  thanks  be  to  God,  all  I  found  in 
Baltimore  were  not  of  this  stamp.  Those  of 
the  white  Baptists  who  had  been  the  means 
of  calling  me  to  this  field,  adhered  to  me 
like  brethren,  indeed.  Could  I  feel  at  liber- 
ty to  mention  names,  I  would  bring  to  notice 
some  dear  friends  who  have  ever  stood  by 
me;  in  all  my  efforts  to  do  good,  and  whose 
acts  of  disinterested  benevolence  have  been 
rarely  equaled.  But  their  labors  of  love  are 
recorded  on  high,  and  I  must  forbear. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Experience  in  Baltimore — Education — Purchase  of  a  Wife 
and  two  Children — Great  Distress  of  Mind — Generous  As- 
sistance— Church  Matters. 

When  I  came  among  the  colored  people  of 
Baltimore,  I  found,  to  my  surprise,  that  they 
were  advanced  in  education,  quite  beyond 
what  I  had  conceived  of.  Of  course,  as  I 
never  had  such  advantages,  I  was  far  behind 
the  people ;  and  as  this  did  not  appear  well 
in  a  preacher,  I  felt  very  small,  when  compar- 
ing my  abilities  with  others  of  a  superior 
stamp.  I  found  that  the  great  mass  of  col- 
ored professors  of  religion  were  Methodists, 
whose  piety  and  zeal  seemed  to  carry  all  be- 
fore them.  There  were,  at  that  time,  some 
tenor  eleven  colored  Methodist  churches,  one 
Episcopalian,  one  Presbyterian ;  and  one  lit- 
tle Baptist  church,  located  upon  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city.  The  most  of  the  Methodist 
churches  were  large  and  influential ;  and  the 
Presbyterian  church  had  one  of  the  best  Sab- 
bath schools  for  colored  children  in  the  city. 

But  the  Baptist  colored  membership  was 
looked  upon  as  the  smallest ;  and  under  these 


36  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

circumstances,  I  was  surrounded  with  dis- 
couragements;  although  the  ministers  and 
brethren  of  other  denominations  have  always 
treated  me  with  marked  christian  kindness. 

I  had  never  had  a  day's  schooling;  and 
coming  to  one  of  the  first  cities  in  the  Union, 
where  the  colored  people  had  the  advantages 
of  schools,  and  where  their  pulpits  were  oc- 
cupied, Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  by  compara- 
tively intelligent  colored  ministers — what 
could  I  expect,  but  that  the  people  would 
turn  away  from  one  who  was  trying  to  preach 
in  the  room  of  a  private  house,  some  fifteen 
by  twenty  feet?  Yet,  there  was  no  turning 
back  :  G-od  had  called  me  to  the  work,  and  it 
was  His  cause  I  was  advocating. 

I  found,  that  to  preach,  like  other  preach- 
ers, I  must  improve  my  mind,  by  reading  the 
Bible  and  other  good  books,  and  by  studying 
my  own  language.  I  started  afresh — I  got  a 
small  stock  of  books,  and  the  white  brethren 
loaned  and  gave  me  other  useful  volumes,  to 
which  they  added  a  word  of  instruction  and 
encouragement,  whenever  an  opportunity  of- 
fered ;  and  the  ministers  cordially  invited  me  x 
to  attend  their  Monday  ministerial  conference 
meeting,  which  was  very  useful  to  me. 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  37 

*  *  I  had  now  been  in  Baltimore  more 
than  a  year.  My  wife  and  seven  children 
were  still  in  Virginia.  I  went  to  see  them  as 
often  as  my  circumstances  permitted — three 
or  four  times  a  year.  About  this  time,  my, 
wife's  mistress  agreed  to  sell  to  me  my, wife 
and  our  two  youngest  children.  The  price 
fixed,  was  eight  hundred  dollars  cash,  and 
she  gave  me  twelve  months  to  raise  the  mo- 
ney. The  sun  rose  bright  in  my  sky  that 
day ;  but  before  the  year  was  out,  my  pros- 
pects were  again  in  darkness.  Now  I  had 
two  great  burdens  upon  my  mind  :  one  to  at- 
tend properly  to  my  missionary  duty,  the  oth- 
er to  raise  eight  hundred  dollars.  During  this 
time  we  succeeded  in  getting  a  better  place 
for  the  Sabbath  school,  and  there  was  a  lar- 
ger attendance  upon  my  preaching,  which  de- 
manded reading  and  study,  and  also  visiting, 
and  increased  my  daily  labors.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  year  was  running  away,  in  which 
I  had  to  raise  eight  hundred  dollars.  So  that 
I  found  myself  at  times  in  a  great  strait. 

My  plan  to  raise  the  money  was,  to  secure 
the  amount,  first,  by  pledges,  before  I  col- 
lected any.    *  *   Finally,  the  year  was  more 
than  passed  away,  and  I  had  upon  my  sub- 
4 


38  NARRATIVE    OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

scription  list  about  one  half  of  the  money 
needed.  It  was  now  considered  that  the  chil- 
dren had  increased  in  value  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, and  I  was  told  that  I  could  have  them, 
by  paying  in  cash  six  hundred  dollars,  and 
giving  a  bond,  with  good  security,  for  three 
hundred  more,  payable  in  twelve  months.  I 
had  six  weeks,  in  which  to  consummate  this 
matter.  I  felt  deeply,  that  this  was  a  time 
to  pray  the  Lord  to  help  me,  and  for  this  my 
wife's  prayers  were  fervently  offered  with  my 
own.  I  had  left  my  wife  in  Virginia ,  and 
come  to  Baltimore,  a  distance  of  over  ahun- 
dred  miles;  I  had  been  separated  thus  for 
nearly  three  years ;  I  had  been  trying  to  make 
arrangements  to  have  her  with  me,  for  over 
twelve  months,  and  as  yet  had  failed.  We 
were  oppressed  with  the  most  gloomy  fore- 
bodings, and  could  only  kneel  down  togeth- 
er and  pray  for  God's  direction  and  help. 

I  was  in  Fredericksburg,  and  had  but  one 
day  longer  to  stay,  and  spend  with  my  wife. 
What  could  be  done,  must  be  done  quickly. 
I  went  to  my  old  friend,  Mr.  Wright,  and 
stated  my  case  to  him.  After  hearing  of  all 
I  had  done,  and  the  conditions  I  ,had  to  com- 
ply with,  he  told  me  that  if  I  would  raise  the 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  39 

six  hundred  dollars  cash,  he  would  endorse 
my  bond  for  the  remaining  three  hundred. — 
This  promise  inspired  me  with  new  life.  The 
next  thing  was,  how  could  the  six  hundred 
dollars  be  obtained  in  six  weeks.  I  had  up- 
on my  subscription  list  and  in  pledges  near- 
ly four  hundred  dollars.  But  this  had  to  be 
collected  from  friends  living  in  Fredericks- 
burg, Washington  city,  Baltimore,  and  Phil- 
adelphia. 

I  left  Fredericksburg,  and  spent  a  few  days 
in  Washington,  to  collect  what  I  could  of  the 
money  promised  to  me  there ;  and  met  much 
encouragement,  several  friends  doubling  their 
subscriptions.  When  I  arrived  in  Baltimore, 
and  made  known  the  peculiar  strait  I  was  in, 
to  my  joyful  surprise,  some  of  the  friends  who 
had  pledged  five  dollars,  gave  me  ten;  and 
one  dear  friend  who  had  promised  me  ten  dol- 
lars, for  this  object,  and  who  had  previously 
contributed  largely  in  the  purchase  of  myself, 
now  gave  me  fifty.  I  began  to  count  up,  and 
in  two  weeks  from  the  time  I  commenced  col- 
lecting, I  had  in  hand  four  hundred  dollars. 
Presently,  another  very  dear  friend  enquired 
of  me  how  1  was  getting  along ;  and  when  I 
told  him,  he  said,  ¥  Bring  your  money  to  me. ' ' 


40  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

I  did  so.  It  lacked  two  hundred  dollars  to 
make  the  purchase.  This,  the  best  friend  I 
ever  had  in  the  world,  made  up  the  six  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  said,  "Go,  get  your  wife; 
and  you  can  keep  on  collecting,  and  repay 
the  two  hundred  dollars  when  you  get  able. " 

I  was  now  overcome  with  gratitude  and 
joy,  and  knew  not  what  to  say ;  and  when  I 
began  to  speak,  he  would  not  have  any  of  my 
thanks.  I  went  to  my  boarding  house,  and 
shut  myself  up  in  my  room,  where  I  might 
give  vent  to  the  gratitude  of  my  heart :  and, 
0,  what  a  melting  time  I  had !  It  was  to  me 
a  day  of  thanksgiving. 

Having  now  in  hand  the  six  hundred  dol- 
lars, and  the  promise  of  Mr.  Wright's  security 
for  three  hundred  more,  I  was,  by  twelve 
o'clock,  next  day  in  Fredericksburg. 

At  first  sight,  my  wife  was  surprised  that 
I  had  come  back  so  soon ;  for  it  was  only  two 
weeks  since  I  had  left  ner ;  and  when  I  in- 
formed her  that  I  had  come  after  her  and  the 
children,  she  could  hardly  believe  me.  In  a 
few  days,  having  duly  arranged  all  things  rel- 
ative to  the  purchase  and  removal,  we  left 
for  Baltimore,  with  feelings  commingled  with 
joy  and  sorrow — sorrow  at  parting  with  five 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  41 

of  our  older  children ,  and  our  many  friends  ;  y 
and  rejoicing  in  the  prospect  of  remaining  to- 
gether permanently  in  .the  missionary  field, 
where  Grod  had  called  me  to  labor.  I  arrived 
in  Baltimore,  with  my  wife  and  two  little 
ones,  November  5 th_,  1851,  and  stopped  with 
sister  Hester  Ann  Hughes,  a  worthy  member 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  with  whom  I  had  been 
boarding  for  four  years. 

The  Md.  Baptist  Union  Association  was 
now  in  session  here,  and  it  became  my  duty 
to  prepare  my  church  letter  and  missionary 
report,  for  that  body.  The  church  had  now 
been  organized  just  three  years  ;  commencing 
with  only  four  members,  including  the  pas- 
tor. Our  church  statistics  for  the  year,  as 
reported,  were  :  Baptized,  2 ;  Received  by  let- 
ter, 2  ;  Present  number  of  members,  15 

Sabbath  school  much  revived,  under  the  spe- 
cial efforts  of  several  white  brethren  and  sis- 
ters.   Present  number  of  Sunday  scholars,  50. 

This  year  was  a  joyful  one  to  me— my  lit- 
tle church  increasing,  and  the  Sabbath  school 
flourishing,  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
late  truly  excellent  brother  James  C.  Crane, 
though  he  was  with  us  but  for  a  short  sea- 
son. My  wife  and  little  ones  were  also  with 
4* 


42  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

me,  both  in  the  church  and  Sabbath  school. 
I  was  a  happy  man,  and  felt  more  than  ever 
inclined  to  give  thanks  to  God,  and  serve  Him 
to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

My  salary  was  only  three  hundred  dollars 
a  year;  but  with  hard  exertion  and  close 
economy,  together  with  my  wife's  taking  in 
washing  and  going  out  at  day's  work,  we 
were  enabled  by  the  first  of  the  year,  to  pay 

J  the  two  hundred  dollars  our  dear  friend  had 
loaned  us,  in  raising  the  six  hundred  dollars 
before  spoken  of.  But  the  bond  for  three  hun- 
dred dollars  was  now  due,  and  how  must  this 
be  met  ?  I  studied  out  a  plan  ;  which  was  to 
get  some  gentleman  who  might  want  a  little 

§  servant  girl,  to  take  my  child,  and  advance 
me  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  my  note,  which  was  now  due  in  Vir- 
ginia. In  this  plan  I  succeeded ;  and  had  my 
own  life  insured  for  seven  years  for  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  made  it  over  to  this  gen- 
tleman, as  security ;  until  I  ultimately  paid 
him  the  whole  amount ;  though  I  was  several 
years  in  paying  it. 

Among  the  number  that  joined  our  little 
church,  was  a  young  brother,  Jos. M. Harden, 
who  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Fuller,  but  soon 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  43 

became  a  valuable  member  with  us,  both  in 
the  church  and  Sunday  school.  He  was  born 
in  Baltimore,  and  had  been  early  taught  to 
read,  and  though  he  had  been  at  ten  years 
old  bound  out,  till  he  was  twenty-one,  his 
love  of  books  had  made  him  far  superior  to 
colored  people  generally,  and  he  was  very 
valuable  to  me.  Things  had  gone  on  hope- 
fully with  me,  and  my  little  church,  though 
our  progress  was  very  slow.  But  we  had  to 
suffer  a  loss  in  brother  Harden's  leaving  us 
for  the  great  missionary  field  fin  Africa, 
where  I  trust  the  Lord  has  sent  him  fo¥  a 
great  and  happy  work.  But  God  has  blessed 
us  in  the  person  of  brother  Samuel  W.  Mad- 
den, whose  labors  as  a  licensed  preacher  for 
several  years  have  been  invaluable  to  us. 


,  CHAPTER  VI. 

A  New  Movement  in  Baltimore — Erection  of  a  Meeting 
House  for  the  African  Baptist  Church — Heavy  Indebtedness 
—Account  of  the  Enterprise — Personal  Troubles. 

Foe,  several  years  previous  to  Jan.,  1855, 
our  little  church  and  Sunday  school  had  oc- 
cupied a  very  inconvenient  upper  room  on 
Courtland  street.  Our  particular  friend,  Mr. 
William  Crane,  with  some  other  white  per- 
sons to  aid  him;  was  the  devoted  superintend- 
ent of  our  Sunday  school,  and  the  unfailing 
friend  of  our  own  little  church,  as  well  as  of 
me  personally.  Mr.  Crane  had  felt,  with  us, 
the  great  disadvantage  of  our  place  of  wor- 
ship, and  had  exerted  himself  much  to  obtain 
a  more  commodious  room  for  us.  But  in 
July,  1853;  he  commenced  an  extraordinary 
effort  in  our  behalf,  by  purchasing  a  lot — 
one  hundred  feet  by  forty-six  feet — with  three 
fronts,  on  Calvert,  Saratoga  and  Davis  streets, 
on  which  a  chapel  building  has  been  erected 
for  us. 

Our  chapel  was  opened  for  worship  Feb.  18, 
1855  ;  and  Kev.  Dr.  Fuller  preached  the  open- 
ing sermon  to  a  crowded  audience. 

On  this  occasion  Mr.  Wm.  Crane  read  a  de- 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  45 

tailed  report  of  all  the  facts  relative  to  this 
building — a  full  copy  of  this  report  may  be 
interesting  probably  to  my  readers,  and  I 
have  therefore  obtained  it,  and  here  present 
it,  in  connection  with  a  picture  of  the  build- 
in  g,  which  will  be  found  opposite  the  title 
page. 

HISTORY  OF  THE  SARATOGA  STREET  AFRICAN 
BAPTIST  CHAPEL. 

"The  questions  have  often  been  asked  in 
this  vicinity  during  the  last  six  months,, 
Who  is  putting  up  that  large  building  called 
the  '  Saratoga  Street  African  Baptist  Chap- 
el ?'  '  What  are  they  putting  it  up  for  ?  • — 
'Who  will  own  it,  when  finished?'  'How 
much  will  it  cost?  and  who  will  pay  for  it?' 

These  questions  have  often  been  answered, 
but  it  seems  proper,  and  indeed  necessary,  at 
this  time  to  answer  them  plainly  and  clearly, 
for  the  information  of  this  large  assembly. 

First,  then,  I  reply:  This  entire  building 
has  been  reared  under  my  directions,  in  the 
name  of  the  Saratoga  street  African  Baptist 
Church. 

This  Church  was  organized  with  only  four 


46  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

members,  six  years  ago,  with  brother  Noah 
Davis,  a  missionary  of  the  McL  Baptist  Union 
Association,  as  its  pastor,  who  has  labored 
most  faithfully  in  his  work.  But,  although 
colored  churches  of  the  Baptist  denomination 
in  all  of  our  Southern  and  "Western  cities 
count  their  members  by  thousands,  this  church 
has  now  only  thirty  members — but  our  hope 
and  prayer  is,  that  established  here  in  the 
centre  of  a  population  of  full  thirty  thousand 
colored  people,  God  may  bless  the  humble 
devoted  efforts  of  His  people,  and  increase 
their  numbers  a  hundred  fold.  Four  years 
ago,  the  1st  of  January,  we  commenced  a 
Sunday  school  in  Courtland  street, — where 
this  church  has  always  held  its  regular  meet- 
ings, which  notwithstanding  its  many  dis- 
couragements—mostly from  a  want  of  devo- 
ted self-denying  teachers — has  been  unremit- 
tingly kept  up  morning  and  afternoon,  till 
the  present  time,  with  an  attendance  vary- 
ing from  thirty  to  over  one  hundred  schol- 
ars; and  we  feel  assured  that  the  hundreds 
of  Bibles  and  Testaments,  tracts,  &c,  with 
the  Sunday  school  instructions,  and  the 
preaching  of  brother  Davis  will  have  laid  the 
foundation  for  a  lasting  blessing  to  his  peo- 


NARRATIVE  OP  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  47 

pie.  This  little  church  and  Sunday  school 
have  met  to-day  for  the  first  time  in  this  build- 
ing, and  in  the  language  of  the  Psalmist  Da- 
vid, probably  on  an  occasion  like  this,  we 
would  exclaim, " Send  now,  we  beseech  thee, 
0  Lord — 0  Lord,  we  beseech  thee,  send  now 
prosperity !  "— (Ps.  118:  25.) 

But  what  are  the  objects  for  which  this 
house  has  been  built  ?  I  answer,  the  first  ob- 
ject was,  to  furnish  such  a  room  as  this,  lor 
the  use  of  this  church,  where  the  gospel  might 
be  preached  and  its  ordinances  administered, 
and  where  Sunday  schools  and  religious  as- 
sociations might  be  properly  accommodated. 
The  second  was,  to  furnish  rooms  in  the  next 
story,  for  a  male  high  school  at  one  end,  and 
a  female  High  school  at  the  other,  and  where 
colored  missionaries  for  Africa  might  be  edu- 
cated for  that  most  important  field  of  labor ; 
with  a  large  hall  in  the  centre,  for  a  lecture 
room,  or  for  any  other  religious,  moral,  or 
useful  purposes.  The  upper  story  has  four 
separate  rooms,  finished  for  renting  to  associ- 
ations of  colored  people,  with  a  view  to  pay- 
ing whatever  debt  may  remain  on  the  build- 
ing, and  for  defraying  its  current  expenses ; 
— and  it  is  hoped  that,  at  some  future  day,  a 


48  NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

reading  room  and  a  circulating  library  for 
colored  people  may  also  be  located  here — the 
whole  of  it  combining  a  most  respectable, 
central,  commodious  Colored  People's  Home. 
But  it  is  asked,  who  owns  this  building  ? 
I  admit  that  it  is  an  unusually  mixed  up  af- 
fair ;  but  I  will  try  to  explain  it.  After  a 
great  deal  of  searching  and  enquiring  after  a 
lot  or  building,  where  this  Church  and  Sun- 
day school  could  have  a  settled  home,  about 
two  years  ago,  I  was  informed  that  this  lot 
was  for  sale  ;  and  realizing  instantly  that  my 
cherished  objects  could  here  be  accomplished 
I  bought  it  without  hesitation,  for  five  thou- 
sand dollars  ;  but  thelossof  two  years'  interest 
and  the  amount  paid  to  tenants  to  move  away, 
makes  the  cost  of  the  lot  now  full  six  thou- 
sand dollars.  1  obtained  the  deed  of  J.H.B, 
Latrobe,  Esq.,  who  sold  it,  as  trustee  for  the 
estate  of  Hugh  Finley,  deceased,  under  an 
order  of  Court.  After  a  charter  of  incorpor- 
ation for  the  Church  had  been  made,  I  got  Mr. 
Latrobe  to  draw  up  also  this  deed,  [here  pre- 
senting it]  which  he  says  is  a  perfectly  good 
one — from  William  Crane  and  wife,  to  Geo. 
F.  Adams,  J.  W.  M.  Williams,  and  John  W. 
Ball,  as  trustees  for  all  concerned,  conveying 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  49 

to  this  Church  ajl  my  right  and  title  forever 
to  all  of  the  proposed  building  on  this  lot 
above  the  first  story :  leaving  rne  the  base- 
ment and  the  cellar  as  my  own  property  for- 
ever, with  the  proviso,  that  the  Church  in  its 
own  name  should  put  up  the  entire  building. 
But  I  agreed  at  the  same  time  to  subscribe 
five  thousand  dollars  on  the  subscription  book 
of  the  Church  towards  erecting  it.  So  that 
I  am  now  sole  owner  of  the  store  and  cellar 
under  the  Chapel — the  Church  has  no  own- 
ership there  at  all — but  the  Church  is  legal 
owner  of  this  Chapel  and  all  the  rooms  above 
it.  The  Church  appointed  me  their  agent  to 
build  the  house,  and  as  such  I  have  made  all 
the  contracts,  paid  out  all  the  monies,  and  as- 
sumed all  the  liabilities.  Before  commencing 
the  building,  as  before  stated,  my  own  sub- 
scription was $5,000 

My  brother,  J.C.Crane,  from  whom  I 

expected  efficient  personal  aid,  gave.,.  1,000 

Bro.  Franklin  Wilson, 1,000 

A.  Fuller  Crane, 500 

John  W.  Ball, 250 

J.  B.  Thomas, 100 

Among  our  colored  friends,  about 200 

Amounting  to,  say, $8,050 

5 


50  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

Since  that  time,  the  pressure  on  the  money- 
market  has  prevented  any  general  effort  to 
obtain  subscriptions,  but  a  city  pastor  has 

subscribed $150 

A  sister  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 100 

Bro.  Jonathan  Batchelor,  of  Lynn,Mass...l00 

Making  in  all,  a  total  of. $8,400 

The  entire  cost  of  the  building,  notwith- 
standing the  most  rigid  economy,  will  be  over 
eighteen  thousand  dollars,  and  full  half  of 
this  amount  is  yet  unprovided  for.  The  bills 
are  not  all  presented,  but  some  of  the  larger 
ones  which  have  been  settled  by  notes  will  be 
due  in  a  short  time ;  while  the  largest  one, 
the  lumber  bill,  has  six  months  to  run  yet, 
so  that  I  am  bound  to  settle  up  and  pay  the 
entire  balance  of  expenditure  on  this  house, 
as  agent  of  the  Church,  within  the  coming 
six  months.  And  whatever  amount  of  mo- 
ney I  advance  over  and  above  the  subscriptions 
and  collections  must,  of  course,  remain  as  a 
debt  due  me  by  the  Church,  and  be  on  inter- 
est until  paid. 

The  last  question,  how  is  the  money  ob- 
tained to  pay  for  the  building?  has  been  part- 
ly answered ;  but  a  full  explanation  of  it  will 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  51 

depend  on  what  the  friends  of  the  object  will 
now  contribute  toward  paying  for  it.  I  will 
subscribe  one  dollar  for  every  ten  dollars  that 
may  be  subscribed  and  paid  on  account  of  the 
Church  debt  within  the  year  1855.  In  other 
words 3 1  will  add  ten  per  cent  to  any  amount 
which  may  be  contributed.  I  may  remark, 
that  in  engaging  in  this  project,  I  had  not  a 
dollar  which  I  wished  to  put  out  at  interest. 
I  want  much  more  than  my  capital  in  my 
mercantile  business.  I  am  in  tact  borrowing, 
to  lend  to  the  Church.  But  it  is  God's  cause, 
and  I  have  had  to  trust  in  Him  to  bear  me 
through  it.  The  failing  health  of  my  dear 
brother,  J.C.Crane,*  and  the  want  of  his  in- 
valuable co-operation  with  me,  as  well  as 
the  lack  of  hearty,  zealous  assistance  on  the 
part  of  many  other  brethren  and  friends,  has 
been  painful  to  me.  But  I  hope,  now  that  the 
house  is  finished,  the  friends  of  our  Kedeem- 
er's  cause  and  of  the  African  race  generally, 
may  not  fail  in  lending  their  efficient  aid. 

I  have  only  to  add,  brethren,  "the  time  is 
short;"  we  must  all  of  us  soon  appear  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ,  to  render  an  ac- 


*  Died  March  31, 1857.    See  Memoir  of  Southern  Baptist 
Publication  Society. 


52  NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

count  of  all  the  talents  committed  to  our 
charge.  If  God  has  given  me  a  talent  for 
the  acquisition  of  money  over  and  ahove 
what  my  duty  to  my  family  requires,  I  re- 
gard myself  hound  as  a  good  steward  to  ex- 
ert that  talent  entirely  for  Him.  I  am  not 
my  own,  and  I  feel  perfectly  assured  that  any 
individual  who  possesses  the  tact  and  ability 
for  acquiring  money  is  neccessarily  the  best 
qualified  for  a  judicious  and  proper  disburse- 
ment of  it ;  and  I  dare  not  try  to  leave  my 
earthly  acquisitions  in  testamentary  charita- 
ble bequests — to  the  inexperienced  and  uncer- 
tain management  of  those  who  may  come  af- 
ter me. 

May  G-od  help  us  to  work  for  Him,  and  at 
last  may  we  hear,  'Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant ;  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of 
thy  Lord.'" 

This  paper  was  read  to  the  congregation, 
probably  a  thousand  people,  immediately  af- 
ter Dr.  Fuller  had  preached  the  opening  ser- 
mon, Feb.  18, 1855  ;  and  a  collection  was  tak- 
en of  about  one  hundred  dollars.  Subse- 
quent to  this,  a  venerable  widow  lady  of  Bal- 
timore contributed  $500,  and  other  quite  lib- 
eral donations  were  made. 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  53 

On  the  1st  of  July,  1855,  Mr.  Crane  ren- 
dered a  full  account  to  the  Church  and  trus- 
tees, of  all  the  monies  received  and  bills  paid 
on  the  building ;  showing  that  the  entire  cost 

of  it  was, -. $18,207,73 

Total am't  of  collections  credited,... 9, 547, 86 


Leaving  balance  over-paid  by  him,.. $8,659, 87 

The  trustees  then  gave  Mr.  Crane  a  bond 
for  this  balance,  and  a  lease  on  the  building, 
until  this  debt,  with  interest  on  it,  could  be 
paid. 

Our  Church  now  had  great  cause  of  grati- 
tude at  finding  ourselves  in  a  fine  large  Chap- 
el, in  the  centre  of  our  city — a  room  100  feet 
long,  and  19  feet  high,  with  a  gallery  at  each 
end,  a  baptistery,  gas  lights,  and  sliding 
partitions,  to  make  two  closed  rooms  under 
the  galleries,  when  needed  for  the  changing 
of  clothes  on  baptismal  occasions,  as  well  as 
for  our  Chur,ch  prayer  and  conference  meet- 
ings. 

We  were  in  hopes  that  we  could  rent  out 
the  large  hall,  together  with  the  six  other 
spacious  rooms  in  the  two  upper  stories,  for 
schools,  benevolent  societies,  &c,  so  as  to 
pay  the  interest  on  our  debt,  if  no  more :  but 
5* 


54  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

so  far,  we  have  not  been  able  to  do  this.  My 
own  trials,  with  my  family,  have  greatly  re- 
tarded my  efforts  in  this  matter.  We  have 
had  the  largest  and  best  week-day  school  for 
colored  children  in  the » city — a  part  of  the 
time  with  three  teachers  and  over  one  hun- 
dred scholars — but  for  four  years,  no  rent  has 
been  received  from  the  school.  The  prices 
for  tuition  have  been  so  low,  that  they  have 
hardly  sustained  the  teachers ;  but  we  trust 
that  our  people  have  derived  much  benefit 
from  them  already,  and  hope  they  may  re- 
ceive much  more  good  from  them  in  the  fu- 
ture.. Since  the  dedication  of  our  Chapel, 
our  Church  has  more  than  doubled  its  mem- 
bership, and  the  congregation  has  increased 
four-fold;  while  on  our  baptizing  occasions 
the  hall  is  generally  full.  We  have  always 
held  three  meetings  fbr  worship  every  Sun- 
day, to  accommodate  many  servants,  who 
have  no  command  of  their  time,  and  also  reg- 
ular Wednesday  and  Friday  evening  prayer 
and  conference  meetings.  Our  Sunday  school 
has  always  had  two  sessions  a  day — an  hour 
and  a  half  in  the  morning,  and  an  hour  in 
the  afternoon. 

I  have  been  necessarily  much  hindered  in 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  55 

my  own  labors,  from  pecuniary  embarrass-/ 
ments,  arising  from  the  sale  of  my  children, 
who  were  left  in  Virginia — two  daughters 
and  three  sons.  The  first  of  these,  who  was 
about  to  be  sold,  and  taken  away  South,  was 
my  oldest  daughter ;  and  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  and  the  help  of  friends  that  I  raised 
eight  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  got  her 
on  to  Baltimore.  But  I  was  soon  called  upon 
to  make  a  similar  effort  to  save  my  eldest  son 
from  being  sold  far  from  me.  Entirely  un- 
expected, I  received  the  painful  news  that  my 
boy  was  in  one  of  the  trader's  jails  inKich- 
mond,  and  for  sale.  The  dealer  knew  me, 
and  was  disposed  to  let  me  have  him,  if  I 
could  get  any  one  to  purchase  him.  I  was, 
of  course,  deeply  anxious  to  help  my  boy ; 
but  I  began  to  think  that  I  had  already  drawn 
so  heavily  on  the  liberality  of  all  my  friends, 
that  to  appeal  to  them  again  seemed  out  of 
the  question.  I  immediately  wrote  to  the 
owners  of  my  son,  and  received  an  answer — 
that  his  price  was  fixed  at  seven  hundred  dol- 
lars. 

The  fact  is,  God  had  already  done  so  much 
more  for  me  and  my  family  than  we  had  ev- 
er expected,  that  we  could  not  tell  what  fur- 


56  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

ther  help  He  might  give  us,  until  we  had 
asked  Him  for  it ;  and  we  could  but  pray  over 
this  trying  affair".  I  hardly  knew  what  else 
to  do,  hut  pray.  The  boy  was  twenty  years 
old,  and  had  been  accustomed  to  waiting  in 
the  house,  for  the  most  respectable  families. 
It  occurred  to  me,  that  I  might  perhaps  get 
him  a  home  near  me,  where  we  might  see  him 
and  use  our  parental  influence  over  him.  I 
thought  it  was  possible,  that  I  might  find 
three  hundred  persons  among  my  friends  in 
Baltimore,  who  would  contribute  one  dollar 
each  to  save  my  son,  and  that  I  might  then 
obtain  some  friend  in  Baltimore  to  advance 
four  hundred  dollars,  and  let  my  son  work  it 
out  with  him  :  and  give  this  friend  a  life  in- 
surance policy  on  the  boy,  as  a  security.  This 
plan  seemed  practicable,  and  I  wrote  to  his 
owners,  asking  for  ten  days  to  raise  the  mo- 
ney ;  which  they  granted  me. 

I  now  got  my  case  made  known  publicly  to 
the  different  colored  congregations  in  the  city 
— and  was  very  much '  surprised  to  find  how 
many  friends  I  had,  and  how  kindly  they  en- 
gaged in  helping  me.  The  result  of  it  was, 
that  I  obtained  the  three  hundred  dollars, 
and  also  a  kind  friend  to  advance  the  four 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  57 

hundred  dollars,  within  the  ten  days,  and  re- 
covered my  son ;  who  is  now  doing  well,  in 
working  out  the  money  advanced  on  him. 
So  far,  I  felt  that  I  had  great  reason  to  say, 
'  u Hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped  me."  I  had 
obtained  my  own  freedom  and  also  that  of  my 
wife  and  four  children. 

But  three  of  my  children  were  still  in  bon-^ 
dage.  In  1856,  the  mistress  of  these  remain- 
ing ones  died ;  and  in  settling  up  her  estate, 
it  became  necessary  to  sell  all  her  servants  at 
auction  with  her  other  property.  This  was 
the  decision  of  the  Court;  and  commissioners 
were  appointed  to  carry  out  the  sale,  on  the 
1st  of  January, 1857.  I  felt  now,  that  I  had 
gone  as  far  as  I  could  in  getting  my  family 
free ;  for  I  felt  very  certain  that  my  daugh- 
ter, about  whom  I  felt  the  greatest  anxiety, 
would  sell  at  auction  for  more  money  than  I 
could  get  any  of  my  friends  in  Baltimore  to 
give  for  her ;  and  I  saw  no  way  to  do  any 
thing  for  the  two  boys.  I  thought  I  had  no 
chance  of  raising  any  more  money  myself, 
and  I  could  only  pray  the  Lord  to  grant 
us  His  grace,  to  reconcile  us  and  the  chil- 
dren, to  whatever  might  come  upon  us.  But 
before  the  end  of  the  year,  when  the  sale  was 


58  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

to  take  place,  the  time  was  extended  six 
months  by  the  Court.  My  hopes  now  began 
to  revive  again ;  I  began  to  think  that  if  I 
could  be  at  the  sale,  my  daughter,  though  a 
grown  up  girl  might  possibly  not  bring  over 
six  or  seven  hundred  dollars.  In  that  case, 
I  might  perhaps  get  six  or  twelve  months 
time,  and  get  some  friend  in  Baltimore  to 
help  me,  as  had  been  the  case  with  my  son. 
The  sale  was  postponed  for  six  months  lon- 
ger, and  finally  occurred,  Jan.  1,  1858. 

The  money  panic,  of  1857,  had  partially 
destroyed  my  hopes  of  doing  anything  to  re 
lieve  my  daughter;  — But  I  had  secured  the 
promise  of  a  kind  friend  in  Baltimore,  to  go 
to  Fredericksburg  with  me,  and  if  he  liked 
the  appearance  of  the  boys,  to  buy  one  or  both 
of  them.  But  in  this  I  was  disappointed  ; 
for  on  the  day  of  sale  this  gentleman  was 
confined  to  his  house  by  sickness.  The  sale 
went  on.  My  oldest  son,  aged  twenty-one, 
sold  for  $560 ;  and  the  younger  one,  just 
turning  his  seventeenth  year,  brought  $5 TO. 
They  were  bought  in  by  their  young  master. 
But  my  daughter  was  run  up  to  $990,  by  a 
slave  trader,  who  .after  the  sale  agreed  to  let 
my  friends  have  her,  for  me,  for  eleven  hun- 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  59 

dred  dollars.  These  friends  were  gentle- 
men of  the  first  standing  in  the  place,  who, 
out  of  kindness  to  me,  whom  they  had  well 
known  for  years,  gave  their  bond  jointly 
for  the  amount,  and  in  this  case  again  I  got 
the  girl's  life  insured  for  one  thousand  dol- 
lars as  a  security  for  them.  The  girl  was  of 
course  left  in  the  hands  of  these  gentlemen, 
in  whom  I  had  the  most  implicit  confidence. 
I  returned  to  Baltimore,  and  prepared  for 
the  redemption  of  my  child.  I  had  a  circu- 
lar printed,  showing  the  facts  as  they  were, 
and  scattered  it  among  my  friends. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Account  of  a  Visit  to  the  northern  Cities — True  Friends. 

During  the  winter  and  spring,  I  used  ev- 
ery effort  in  my  power  in  the  way  of  collecting 
funds,  hut,  though  I  met  with  the  most  gen- 
erous sympathy  and  kindness  from  all  my 
friends — up  to  the  1st  of  June  I  had  in  hand 
only  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  I  then 
applied  to  the  Mission  Board,  for  permission 
to  travel  and  solicit  funds  to  help  me  out  of 
my  distress.  This  was  readily  granted  me. 
Having  obtained  a  certificate,  relative  to  the 
objects  of  my  journey,  signed  by  Kev.  Frank- 
lin Wilson,  Secretary  of  our  State  Mission- 
ary Board,  as  well  as  by  the  pastors  and 
other  friends  in  Baltimore,  I  started  once 
more  on  this  painful  business  of  begging 
money,  to  purchase  my  fifth  child  out  of  sla- 
very. I  went  to  Philadelphia,  and  met  with 
marked  attention  from  the  ministers  of  the 
Baptist  churches  generally,  and  especially 
from  Bev.  Messrs.  McKean,  Cole,  and  Grif- 
fith, with  whom  I  had  been  acquainted  in  Bal- 
timore; as  well  as  Kevs.  Messrs  Cuthbertand 
Malcom,    and  the  editors  of  the  Christian 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  61 

Chronicle,  Presbyterian,  &c.  I  obtained  in 
this  city  nearly  two  hundred  dollars. 

With  a  view  to  meet  a  particular  friend  in 
Boston,  I  was  induced  to  visit  that  city  next. 
The  many  acts  of  kindness  and  sympathy  I 
met  with  there  can  never  be  effaced  from  my 
memory.  I  had  a  special  introduction  to  the 
Messrs.  Gould  and  Lincoln,  book  publishers. 
To  the  latter,  I  owe  a  lasting  obligation. — 
Through  him  I  obtained  a  hearing  of  my  case 
in  Mr.  Anderson's  church,  Roxbury,  where  I 
obtained  very  liberal  aid,  while  the  pastor 
was  absent,  as  well  as  in  many  other  cases. 

I  called  on  Eev.  Dr.  Stow,  who  allowed  my 
case  to  be  presented  to  his  congregation,  at 
an  evening  meeting,  where  I  received  some 
fifty  dollars.  He  also  gave  me  a  letter  of 
commendation  to  the  other  Baptist  ministers, 
with  a  request  that  they  would  also  sign  it, 
which  a  large  number  did.  The  article  was 
then  published  gratuitously  for  me  in  the 
"  Watchman  and  Reflector  "  and  u  Christian 
Era."  Rev.  L.A.Grimes, pastor  of  the  12th 
Baptist  Church,  (colored,)  from  the  respect- 
able position  which  he  occupied  in  the  com- 
munity, did  much  for  me,  in  furthering  my 


62  NARRATIVE   OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

cause,  and  introducing  me  to  others,  espe- 
cially at  the  daily  prayer  meetings. 

I  had  the  great  privilege  and  pleasure  of 
mingling  with  the  people  of  God  of  every 
name.,  in  these  blessed  meetings.  The  first  I 
went  to,  was  at  the  old  South  Chapel.  Here 
I  felt  at  first  greatly  embarrased  when  called 
on  to  speak  or  pray.  I  thought  that  those 
who  came  to  these  meetings  must  he  among 
the  most  pious  and  intelligent  people  in 
Boston.  The  kind  manner  in  which  they 
treated  me,  confirmed  me  in  my  impressions 
of  them.  But  the  best  meetings,  I  think  I 
ever  enjoyed  on  earth,  for  such  a  length  of 
time, (nearly  two  months,)  was  at  what  was 
called  the  North  street  prayer  meeting,  or 
Father  Mason's.  This  was  in  a  large  upper 
room.  It  really  appeared  to  me;  that  the 
most  of  those  who  met  at  this  place  each  day 
at  twelve  oclockvto  spend  an  hour  in  prayer , 
to  tell  what  God,  had  done  for  their  souls, 
had  been  made  "  ready,'''  by  the  Spirit  of 
God  before  they  reached  that  sacred  spot. — 

I  know,  I  shall  fail  to  present  a  true  pic- 
ture of  this  heavenly  place ;  for  such  it  was 
to  me,  and  many  others.  But,  it  may  be, 
that  my  own   peculiar  circumstances    may 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  63 

have  rendered  the  meetings  unusually  pre- 
cious to  me.  But  they  were  good  to  me  in 
many  respects.  I  was  a  poor  colored  man,  in 
distress,  and  needed  christian  sympathy.  I 
found  it  truly,  among  the  many  white  friends 
with  whom  I  met  in  the  North  street  prayer 
meeting.  There,  in  that  meeting,  the  dear 
friends  would  pray  with  me  and  for  me.  In 
a  word,  I  felt  at  times  it  was  good  for  me  to 
be  afflicted,  for  surely,  if  it  had  not  been  for 
my  peculiar  circumstances,  I  should  never 
have  been  inside  the  Old  South  Chapel,  or 
North  street  prayer  meeting,  where  I  enjoyed 
so  much  of  God's  presence,  and  found  so 
many  real  friends,  in  the  midst  of  strangers. 
I  felt  that  I  realized  what  the  apostle  Peter 
meant:  "  If  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness, 
through  manifold  temptation,  that  the  trials 
of  your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than 
gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with 
fire,  might  be  found  unto  praise  and  honor 
and  glory, at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ." 
—(1  Peter  1:  6,7.)  Also,  "For  I  will  show 
him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer  for  my 
name's  sake." — (Acts  9  :  16.)  The  argu- 
ments I  drew  from  these  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture were,,  to  show  that  when  God  wanted  to 


64  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

purify  our  faith,  and  strengthen  our  confi- 
dence in  Him,  He  would  send  trials  upon  us. 
And  to  let  us  see  how  great  the  things  we 
must  suffer  for  His  name's  sake,  and  to  let 
us  see  too  how  great  the  grace  He  gives  us, 
to  enable  us  to  endure  hardness,  as  good  sol- 
diers of  the  cross. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  the  friends  in  Boston  and 
its  vicinity  gave  me  about  four  hundred  dol- 
lars towards  the  purchase  of  my  daughter.  I 
had  the  privilege  of  meeting  the  Baptist  min- 
isters in  their  conference  meeting.  Here  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Tilson,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  at  Hingham,  invited  me  to  spend 
a  Sunday  evening  at  his  place,  which  I  did, 
very  greatly  to  my  own  satisfaction  and  pro- 
fit. During  my  stay  in  Boston,  I  visited 
several  of  the  smaller  towns  adjacent  to  it, — 
Lynn,  Cambridge,  Melrose,  Maiden,  Chelsea, 
and  others,  and  I  was  kindly  received  at  all 
of  them.  I  collected  in  Lynn  something 
like  $50,  the  most  of  which  was  given  to  me 
by  the  members  of  the  2nd  Baptist  Church. 
Just  before  leaving  Boston,  to  my  great  and 
agreeable  surprise,  I  met  Dr.  F.  Patten,  sur- 
geon in  the  U.  S.  Navy,  (my  former  owner,) 
in  the  street,  in  that  city.     I  had  not  seen 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  65 

him  for  seven  or  eight  years,  and  had  no 
thought  of  seeing  him  in  Boston.  He  re- 
cognized me  first,  and  spoke  to  me  before  I 
knew  he  was  near ;  hut  I  instantly  knew  him. 
We  greeted  each  other  heartily,  and  he  in- 
vited me  to  visit  him  at  Chelsea.  This  I  did, 
the  same  afternoon,  and  was  kindly  treated. 

While  I  sat  there  with  him  and  his  chil- 
dren, and  he  was  looking  over  my  subscrip- 
tion hook,  I  was  constrained  to  look  back  for 
fifteen  years,  over  all  the  way  the  Lord  had 
brought  me,  since  the  day  this  same  gentle- 
man had  given  me  privilege  to  purchase  my 
freedom,  and  handed  me  a  pass,  saying,  "I 
am  not  afraid  of  you  running  away,  Noah — 
you  may  go  where  yon  please. '  -  I  reflected, 
suppose  I  had  stayed  away,  when  I  was  in 
Boston,  twelve  years  ago,  begging  money  to 
buy  myself — how  would  it  be  with  me  and 
my  family  to-day  ?  But  I  have  tried  to  ac- 
knowledge the  Lord  in  all  my  ways,  always 
asking  counsel  of  Him,  and  I  now  feel  that 
He  has  kindly  directed  and  kept  me. 

I  also  visited  New  Bedford,  where  I  met  a 

large  number  of  my  old  acquaintances  from 

Virginia,  and  had  the  privilege  of  presenting 

my  object  to  several  of  the  Churches,  and  I 

6* 


66  NAE.RATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

received  in  all  about  $50.  I  next  went  to 
Providence,  Khode  Island,  where  I  spent  a 
couple  of  weeks  greatly  to  my  advantage.  It 
was  indeed  ' ( providence ' '  to  me.  I  was  per- 
mitted to  present  my  case  to  nearly  all  the 
Baptist  Churches  in  that  city.  Five  of  these 
aided  my  cause  ;  but  their  great  kindness  de- 
serves some  particular  notice.  The  first  one 
I  visited  was  Kev.  Mr.  Stone's,  whose  congre- 
gation, with  himself,  greatly  encouraged  me. 
At  the  First  Church  I  told  my  story  before  an 
evening  meeting,  and  shall  never  forget  the 
kindness  of  the  pastor,  the  senior  deacon,  and 
others.  I  obtained  here  nearly  $100.  I  was 
kindly  assisted  by  Kev.  Mr.  Keyser's  Church, 
as  also  the  Fourth  Baptist  Church.  But  at 
the  Central  Baptist  Church,  Kev.  Mr.  Fields', 
I  found  unbounded  kindness  and  liberality. 
After  seeing  my  letters  of  recommendation, 
the  pastor  invited  me  to  his  prayer  meeting, 
where  I  was  favored  with  the  privilege  of 
telling  my  story,  freely.  I  had  been  from 
home  several  months,  and  had  collected  in  all 
about  seven  hundred  dollars,  but  still  lacked 
about  four  hundred  to  accomplish  my  object. 
I  was  receiving  letters  every  week  from  my 
Church  and  family,  saying  that  my  presence 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  67 

at  home  was  greatly  needed ;  but  the  idea  of 
going  home  without  accomplishing  my  great 
object,  tilled  me  with  distress.  While  speak- 
ing to  the  meeting,  and  telling  how  God  had 
delivered  me  from  time  to  time  out  of  trials, 
I  felt  such  a  sense  of  my  condition,  that  for 
the  moment  I  could  not  restrain  my  feelings 
— my  heart  became  so  full,  that  it  stopped  all 
utterance.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  the 
people  showed  their  sympathy  for  me  by  giv- 
ing me  a  collection  of  sixty  one  dollars. — 
One  dear  brother,  (may  the  Lord  bless  him!) 
came  forward,  and  presenting  me  with  a  ten 
dollar  bill,  said,  "  Brother  Davis,  give  your- 
self no  more  trouble  about  that  daughter. — 
You  say  you  have  to  stop  in  New  York.  Let 
me  say,  that  when  you  get  home,  whatever 
you  lack  of  the  four  hundred  dollars,  write 
to  me,  and  I  will  send  you  a  check  for  the 
balance."  This  was  spoken  in  the  presence 
of  the  whole  meeting.  I  felt  completely  at 
a  loss  for  words  of  gratitude  and  thanksgiv- 
ing ;  and  merely  said,  the  day  is  broke,  and 
the  Lord  has  appeared  for  me  indeed ! 

I  now  left  Providence,  feeling  in  my  heart 
that  the  place  is  rightly  called  by  that  name, 
as  far  as  I  am  concerned. 


68  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

I  then  went  to  New  York.  In  that  great 
city,  I  met  with  considerable  assistance.  I 
never  started  out,  but  it  seemed  that  the 
Lord  directed  my  steps.  I  was  allowed  to 
address  a  prayer  meeting  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  whose  pastor  was  the  late  excellent 
Kev.A.K.Nott,  and  was  aided  to  the  amount 
of  over  seventy  dollars. 

Kev.  Dr.  Lathrop,  with  much  christian 
kindness,  invited  me  to.  his  night  meeting ; 
but  a  severe  rain  prevented  any  attendance. 
He  invited  me  again,  and  then  he  was  absent 
because  of  illness.  I  was  depressed  with  dis- 
appointment ;  but  he  had  sent  a  request  that 
I  might  be  heard,  (as  I  afterward  learned,) 
and  I  was  called  on  to  state  my  case  to  the 
audience.  I  was  taken  by  surprise,  for  the 
pastor's  illness  had  taken  all  hope  from  me 
of  accomplishing  anything  there.  Still  I  be- 
gun, by  telling  my  experience.  I  said  that 
when  it  had  pleased  God  to  convert  my  soul, 
I  thought  that  all  my  trouble  was  gone,  and 
gone  forever ;  but  I  had  since  learned  that  I 
was  much  mistaken — I  had  learned  that  ' '  in 
the  world  we  shall  have  tribulation . ' '  I  then 
went  on  to  state  my  present  trouble  and  dis- 
tress— and  before  I  left  the  meeting,  I  re- 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  69 

ceived  with  heart-felt  gratitude,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-  four  dollars.  This  reminded  me 
of  Providence. 

Rev.  Drs.  Gillette  and  Armitage  treated 
me  with  much  generous  sympathy,  as  also 
did  many  others. 

I  visited  G-reenport  on  Long  Island,  where 
Rev.  Henry  Knapp  kindly  aided  me.  Elders 
Swan  and  Read,  and  the  brethren  generally 
at  New  London,  aided  me  to  the  amount  of 
about  fifty  dollars. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Conclusion — Object  of  this  Book. 

I  NOW  left  the  north,  for  home,  and  arrived 
there  safely.  My  friends  greeted  me  cordial- 
ly on  my  success  in  collecting  money. 

I  still  lacked,  however,  one  hundred  and 
forty-two  dollars  of  the  needed  eleven  hun- 
dred. I  had  used  every  effort  in  my  power 
to  prevent  the  necessity  of  having  to  call  on 
my  generous  friend  in  Providence.  But 
in  spite  of  all  my  endeavors,  I  had  to  make 
known  to  him  this  deficiency,  which  he  im- 
mediately and  generously  supplied,  "by  re- 
mitting me  a  check  for  the  full  amount. 

I  was  now  prepared  to  go  after  my  daugh- 
ter, which  I  did,  December  1st,  1858 ;  thus 
releasing  her  within  one  year  from  the  time 
she  was  sold.  She  is  now  with  me,  and  do- 
ing well. 

I  received  a  promise  from  the  young  mas- 
ter of  my  two  sons,  at  the  time  he  purchased 
them,  that  if  I  should  succeed  in  paying  for 
my  daughter  during  that  year,  he  would  let 
me  know  what  I  might  have  my  two  boys 
for.     At  the  time,  my  boys  were  about  re- 


NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS.  71 

turning  to  Bichmond,  where  they  had  been 
hired  out  for  several  years.  I  charged  them 
to  let  me  hear  a  good  report  of  their  conduct ; 
and  if  I  could  do  anything  for  them,  after  I 
had  got  through  with  the  purchase  of  their 
sister,  I  would  do  it.  This  pledge  I  made 
to  the  boys,  in  the  presence  of  their  master's 
agent. 

Having,  through  the  aid  of  a  kind  Provi- 
dence, been  enabled  to  pay  for  my  daughter, 
I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  turn  my  attention 
toward  redeeming  my  word  to  my  last  chil- 
dren now  in  bondage. 

But  this,  of  course,  has  called  up  anxious 
thought  and  prayerful  meditation.  I  have 
also  considered  the  peculiar  condition  of  my 
church — the  large  outlay  of  money  in  the 
erection  of  the  building,  and  the  heavy  debt 
hanging  upon  it,  which  is  increased  every 
year  by  the  interest.  I  have  also  considered 
how  long  I  have  been  supported  in  this  field 
of  labor  by  the  Missionary  Board  of  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention  and  the  Maryland 
Baptist  Union  Association. 

The  question  then  occurred  to  me,  Could 
I  not,  by  making  a  booh,  do  something  to  re- 
lieve myself  and  my  children,  and  ultimate- 


72  NARRATIVE  OF  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS. 

ly,  by  the  same  means,  help  my  church, 
under  its  heavy  debt,  and  also  relieve  tin 
Missionary  Board  from  helping  me.  This 
idea  struck  me  with  so  much  force,  that  I 
have  yielded  to  it — that  is,  to  write  a  short 
Narrative  of  my  own  life,  setting  forth  the 
trials  and  difficulties  the  Lord  has  brought 
me  through  to  this  day,  and  offer  it  for  sale 
to  my  friends  generally,  as  well  as  to  the 
public  at  large ;  and  I  hope  it  may  not  only 
aid  me,  but  may  serve  to  encourage  others, 
who  meet  with  similar  difficulties,  to  put 
their  trust  in  G-od . 


END   OF  THE   NARRATIVE. 


SERMON. 

BY  REV.  NOAH  DAVIS 

Text. — "But  if  any  provide  not  for  his  own,  and 
especially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied 
the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel." — 1  Tim.  5 :  8. 

In  this  chapter,  we  have  several  christian 
duties  set  forth  hy  the  apostle  Paul,  to  Tim- 
othy, a  young  preacher  of  the  gospel,  who  was 
to  teach  other  christians  to  observe  them,  as 
evidences  of  the  genuineness  of  their  faith 
in  Christ. 

That  faith  which  does  not  produce  obedi- 
ence to  the  commands  of  Jesus  must  be  re- 
garded as  defective.  Beligion  requires  us  to 
love  GJ-od,  and  all  men,  and  we  must  show 
our  faith,  by  a  life  consistent  with  our  pro- 
fession. 

If  human  nature,  fallen  as  it  is,  prompts 
men  of  the  world  to  labor  zealously  to  supply 
their  own  temporal  necessities  and  the  wants 
of  those  whom  Providence  has  made  to  de- 
pend upon  them,  how  much  more  will  it  be 
expected  of  those  who  profess  to  have  drank 


74  SERMON. 

of  that  pure  Fountain  of  love,  the  Spirit  of 
our  blessed  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 
God  has  indeed  doomed  man  to  eat  his  bread 
in  the  sweat  of  his  face ;  but  as  if  to  reward 
him,  he  has  connected  with  it  a  pleasure  in 
the  labor,  and  especially,  in  our  eil'orts  to  do 
good  to  others. 

In  speaking  from  these  words,  let  us  first 
consider  what  is  here  meant  by  " providing" 
for  "his  own;"  secondly,"  and  especially 
for  those  of  his  own  house;"  thirdly,  what 
it  is  to  "deny  the  faith;"  and  lastly,  draw  a 
comparison  between  the  one  who  "hath  de- 
nied the  faith"  and  the  "infidel." 

1.  In  the  first  place,  we  are  to  consider 
the  duty  enjoined  in  the  text,  to  provide  for 
our  own :  which  we  understand  to  mean  our 
own  temporal  wants,  such  as  food  and  raiment 
and  every  temporal  benefit.  Every  man  is 
bound  by  the  laws  of  nature  to  provide  for 
himself  the  necessaries  of  life,  honestly  in  the 
sight  of  God  and  men,  as  far  as  in  him  lieth. 
This  both  reason  and  common  sense  dictate. 
This  religion  inspires.  "He  that  will  not 
work,  shall  not  eat,"  is  the  teaching  of  the 
word  of  God.  "Provide  things  honest  in  the 
sight  of  all  men,"  is  the  instruction  of  the 


SERMON.  75 

great  apostle  to  the  Gentiles ;  at  the  same 
time  giving  them  an  example,  by  working 
with  his  own  hands,  to  supply  his  necessities, 
and  the  wants  of  those  who  were  with  him. 
I  have  heard  it  said  that  a  lazy  person  cannot 
be  a  christian,  and  the  same  idea  seems  to  be 
supported  in  my  text. 

\ ( But  if  any  provide  not  for  his  own . ' '  Re- 
ligion benefits  those  who  possess  it,  by  regu- 
lating their  appetite  for  temporal  things,  as 
well  as  giving  them  a  relish  for  spiritual 
ones.  While  we  are  in  love  with  sin,  we  La- 
bor hard  to  enjoy  its  pleasures.  How  indus- 
triously do  wicked  men  labor  for  what  they 
can  eat,  drink  and  wear.  And  shall  a  chris- 
tian be  less  active  to  secure  for  himself  the 
necessaries  of  life  ? — he  would  prove  himself 
indeed  to  be  worse  than  the  infidel.  But  we 
have  other  wants  to  be  supplied,  beside  those 
of  the  body.  God  has  given  to  all  men  an 
intellectual  nature — a  mind,  which  distin- 
guishes them  from  the  brutes.  These  minds 
are  capable  of  improvement ;  and  every  man 
is  under  obligation  to  make  use  of  the  means 
and  opportunities  which  God  has  given  him 
for  cultivating  his  mind,  by  educating  him- 
self, that  he  may  be  useful  to  himself  and 


46  SERMON. 

shose  around  him.  But  man  is  a  social  be- 
ing as  well  as  an  intellectual  one.  "God 
hath  made  of  one  blood,  all  nations  of  men, 
tor  to  dwell  on  all  the  face  of  the  earth. — 
(Acts  IT:  26.)  Much  of  our  happiness,  and 
usefulness  in  this  world  arises  from  this  qual- 
ity which  man  possesses  over  the  animal  cre- 
ation. And  just  in  proportion,  as  we  shall 
cultivate,  and  refine  our  social  and  intellec- 
tual natures,  just  in  that  proportion,  shall 
?e  rise  above  the  level  of  the  savage  and 
%ae  heathen. 

But  man  has  a  soul,  which  must  be  fitted 
for  the  enjoyment  of  God,  here  and  hereafter. 
Kow  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  the  soul,  is 
our  highest  duty  on  earth. — Sin  has  un- 
clothed us  of  that  innocence  in  which  our 
Creator  first  made  us,  and  the  responsibility 
bow  rests  upon  every  soul,  to  provide  a  cloth- 
ing which  will  stand  the  inspection  of  God 
himself.  This  clothing,  Christ  has  prepared 
through  His  sufferings,  and  death,  and  it  is 
given  to-all  them  that  believe  in  Him.  And 
surely,  if  it  be  our  duty  to  provide  temporal 
things  for  ourselves,  and  for  those  of  our  own 
b  iuse,  how  much  more  are  we  bound  to  seek 
ftjftd  secure  the  one  thing  needful. 


SERMON.  77 

2.  But  we  will  consider  in  the  second  place, 
what  is  meant  by  providing  for  our  own 
house? — ' cand  especially  for  those  of  his  own 
house?' '  House  here  means  family.  First, 
we  will  consider  the  duty  devolving  upon  a 
christian  parent,  in  making  suitable  provi- 
sion for  his  own  house,  or  family.  This 
embraces  all  we  have  urged  as  his  duty  to 
himself.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  parents,  to 
provide  for  their  families  every  temporal  good 
which  adds  to  their  own  comfort  or  usefulness 
in  life.  And  it  is  no  less  the  duty  of  parents 
to  provide  for  the  spiritual  necessities  of  their 
own  families.  And  first — we  shall  consider 
the  duty  of  parents,  to  provide  suitable  train- 
ing for  their  children.  This  is  a  duty  which 
G-od  has  enjoined  and  approves.  He  said  of 
Abraham,  "For  I  know  him,  that  he  will 
command  his  children  and  his  household  af- 
ter him,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way  of  the 
Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment,  that  the 
Lord  may  bring  upon  Abraham,  that  which 
He  hath  spoken  of  him."  The  duty  of  pa- 
rents to  train  their  children  religiously,  is 
clearly  taught  under  the  gospel  dispensation. 

"And  ye  fathers,  provoke  not  your  chil- 
dren to  wrath,  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nur- 


78  SERMON. 

ture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord."  Here, 
we  have  divine  authority,  for  teaching  our 
children,  the  things,  which  make  for  their 
good,  both  in  this  life  and  that  which  is  to 
come.  But  it  may  be  asked,  to  what  extent 
are  parents  bound  to  comply  with  these  high 
and  solemn  obligations?  We  answer,  to  the 
utmost  of  their  ability.  To  whom  much  is 
given,  of  him  much  is  required,  and  to  whom 
little  is  given,  of  him  little  is  required. — 
But  all  are  bound  to  train  up  their  children 
ain  the  way  they  should  go,  that  when  they 
are  old,  they  may  not  depart  from  it."  This 
duty  is  seen  in  the  judgments  which  Grod  has 
visited  upon  those  parents  and  children  who 
have  neglected  to  obey  the  Lord  in  this  par- 
ticular.—  (1  Samuel  2:  34.) 

3.  We  are,  in  the  third  place,  to  enquire 
what  it  is  to  "deny  the  faith."  Much  is  said 
in  the  Scriptures  about  faith.  Much  depends 
upon  it.  We  are  said  to  be  " justified  by 
faith,"  and  " saved  by  faith  ;"  we  "  live  by 
faith."  And  inasmuch,  as  such  as  are  spok- 
en of  in  the  text  are  said  to  be  worse  than  an 
infidel,  because  they  provide  not  for  them- 
selves and  families,  thereby  showing  that  they 
have  denied  the  faith,  therefore  let  us  try  to 


SERMON.  79 

consider  what  genuine  faith  is,  and  what  it 
is  to  deny  it.  This  is  the  most  important 
point  in  the  subject  now  before  us.  " With- 
out faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God." 

We  will  consider  some  of  the  effects  of  this 
distinguishing  grace.  There  are  several 
kinds  of  faith  spoken  of  in  the  Bible.  In  one 
case,  men  are  said  to  "  believe  for  a  while." 
This  faith  is  shown  us  in  the  parable  taught 
by  our  blessed  Saviour,  in  the  characters  rep- 
resented by  the  seed  sown  upon  the  rock, 
%  which  for  a  while  believe,  and  in  time  of 
temptation  fall  away." — (Luke  8:  33.) 

There  is  a  faith  which  is  called  dead. — 
cc  Even  so  faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is  dead, 
being  alone. ' ' — (James  2 :  17.)  But  the  faith 
which  enables  the  christian  to  obey  the  Sav- 
iour in  all  things,  is  said  to  " work  by  love." 
— (Gal.  5:6.)  Now  we  say  that  those  who 
have  this  faith,  will  never  deny  it.  The 
counterfeit  may  deceive,  but  the  genuine 
cannot.  We  say  this  faith  cannot  deny  it- 
self. All  who  are  spoken  of  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament as  having  this  faith  never  denied  it. 
By  it  Abel  made  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  to 
God  than  Cain.  By  ifc,  Enoch  walked  with 
God,  when  the  other  portion  of  mankind 


80  SERMON. 

walked  in  the  vain  wicked  imaginations  of 
their  own  hearts.  "By  faith  Noah,  being 
warned  of  God  of  things  not  seen  as  yet, 
moved  with  fear,  prepared  an  ark  for  the  sav- 
ing of  his  house. ' '  ' ( Abraham  believed  God, 
and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteous- 
ness." 

This  is  the  grace  which  enables  believers 
to  renounce  the  pleasures  of  sin,  which  are 
but  for  a  season.  It  gives  them  a  complete 
victory  over  the  world.  It  abideth  with  hope 
and  charity.  Now,  whosoever  professes  this 
faith,  and  then  by  his  unholy  life  denies  it, 
by  neglecting  to  provide  for  his  own,  and  es- 
pecially for  those  of  his  own  house,  makes  it 
manifest  that  he  never  had  it.  It  is  as  un- 
changeable as  its  Author,  for  it  is  the  gift  of 
God.  It  prompted  Noah  to  labor  over  a  hun- 
dred years,  to  build  an  ark,  to  save  his  house. 
And  what  it  has  done,  it  will  continue  to 
do,  for  those  who  have  it.  This  is  the  prin- 
ciple in  religion  which  purifies  the  heart, 
overcomes  the  world,  and  causes  christians 
to  love  one  another,  whatever  may  be  their 
circumstances,  or  color  or  rank  in  life. 

4.  We  are  now  in  the  fourth  and  last  place 
to  draw  a  comparison  between  those  who  de- 


SERMON.  81 

ny  the  faith,  and  an  infidel.  Now  an  infidel, 
is  an  unbeliever  in  the  religion  of  Christ. — 
Yet  he  provides  for  his  own,  and  especially 
for  those  of  his  own  house.  In  this  he  is 
consistent  with  himself.  Here  he  acts  from 
reason ,  and  principles  of  nature.  But  the 
individual  who  denies  the  faith,  is  one,  who 
has  taken  upon  himself  the  solemn  vow  be- 
fore God  and  men,  that  he  will  act  out  what 
his  profession  supposes  him  to  be  in  posses- 
sion of,  which  is  superior  in  its  influence, 
to  the  infidel's  principles,  yet  he  fails  to  do 
as  much. 

But  again,  an  infidel  is  a  bad  man,  and 
makes  no  pretensions  to  hide  it.  But  he 
who  contradicts  his  profession,  by  denying 
it  in  the  manner  here  set  forth,  is  worse 
for  attempting  to  cover  up  a  character,  which 
in  itself  is  no  better.  But  consider  the  ef- 
fect produced  by  a  false  faith,  (and  we  have 
shown,  that  such  a  faith,  as  does  not  come 
up  with  the  infidel's,  is  false,)  it  does  the 
greatest  harm.  Many  persons,  when  they 
make  a  profession  of  faith,  suppose  it  is  the 
true  faith,  but  after  a  while,  they  find  that 
their  faith  does  not  work  by  love,  it  does  not 
purify  their  hearts.     They  love  sin  secretly, 


82  SERMON. 

as  much  as  before.  They  love  worldly  com- 
pany as  well  as  ever.  And  they  find  the 
employments,  which  their  profession  enjoins 
upon  them,  irksome  and  dry.  Such  persons 
are  greatly  deceived,  yet  they  are  ashamed  to 
confess  it,  and  throw  off  the  mask  of  profes- 
sion. And  such  persons  are  often  the  great- 
est fault-finders  with  those,  whose  true  faith 
inspires  them  to  endure  hardness,  affiictions 
and  deny  themselves  and  take  up  their  cross, 
so  that  they  may  glorify  their  Saviour  in 
their  bodies  and  spirits  which  are  the  Lord's. 
In  conclusion,  dear  brethren,  let  us,  who 
have  made  a  profession  of  faith,  examine  our- 
selves, whether  we  be  in  the  faith  of  the  gos- 
pel, or  not.  "  Know  ye  not  your  own  selves 
how  that  Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be 
reprobates . ' '     Amen  . 


STATISTICAL   REPORT 

OF  ALL  THE 

COLORED  PROTESTANT  CHURCHES  k 
AND  SABBATH  SCHOOLS 
IN  BALTIMORE. 


(As  quoted  from  the  Minutes  of  their  re- 
spective bodies,  for  the  year  1859.) 


Sharp  st.  and  Wesley  Chapel,  Meth.Ep.,  1812 

Orchard  st.  and  Asbury,              "  1508 

Dallas' St.,                                       "  119 

Bethel,  Saratoga  st.,         AfricanM.E.,  1398 

Ebenezer,  Montgomery  st.,      "      iC  600 

Union  Bethel,  Fell's  Point,     "       cl  100 

Water's  Chapel,  Spring  st.,    "       u  98 

Mission         "      Tissia  st.,      "       "  77 

South  Howard  st.  Chapel,     ZionMeth.,  200 

St.  Thomas',  Chesnut  st.,Meth.Prot.,  70 

St.  James',  Saratoga  st.,  Episcopal,  100 

Presbyterian  church,  Madison  st. ,  69 
First  Baptist,cor. Young  andThomsonst.,  99 

Union  Baptist,  Lewis  st.,  63 

Saratoga  st.  African  Baptist  Chapel,  73 


Total  Col'd  Prot.  Keligious  Popul'n,       6386 


SABBATH  SCHOOL  REPORT. 
(Kendered  to  the  S.  S.  Union,  for  1859.) 


Sharpst.,            M.E. 
Orchard  st.,            u 

< 

s 

s 

> 

S 

\» 

o 

K"1 

a 

o 

200 

-a 

E-i 

15 
6 

i    3 
a    i 

S          to 

15  200 

9  177 

Asbury, 

Dallas  st.,               " 

2 

20 

45  259 
17  250 

John  Wesley,         " 
Bethel,  African  M.E. 

,60 

15 

250 
200 

10 
16 

10  120 
16  350 

Ebenezer,         "  " 

27  178 

Spring  st.,        "  " 
Allen  chapel,  ".   " 
Union  Bethel,  "  " 

113 

6 

13  120 

58 

11     86 

Good  Samaritan,  " 

6 

60 

Tissiast.          "  " 

108 

6     30 

St.  Thomas,  M.P,, 

200 

3 

4     56 

S.How'dst.,  Zion, 

5 

7  102 

Mt.  Olive,  Ind., 

3 

7    40 

Presbyterian, 
Episcopal, 
First  Col'd  Baptist, 
Union,             " 

205 

78 

20  10  240 

5     5     70 

3     3     33 

11     86 

Saratoga  st.    " 

40 

1 

250 

8 

6  150 

Aggregate,  106  18  1604  126  222  2665 


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The  beginning  of  Life. — The  first  disappointment. — Ap- 
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PART  II. 
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— The  fury  of  War. — The  slaughter. — Glory. — Unhappiness. 
— Honor  to  the  Brave. — Major  Sharper. 
PART  IV. 
Mortal  in  love. — He  becomes  wealthy. — He  travels. — 
Vesuvius — The  grave  of  General  Gog. — Gambling. — Ruin. 
PART  V. 
The  last  scene  of  all. — Dr.  Popular  Gospel. — Dimelover 
and  Sharp  die  hopefully. — John  Mortal's  last  conversation 
with  Mentor  and  Tempter. — Despair  and  Death. 


